China starts operating world's first 660 KV transmission system

The world's first 660-kilovolt direct current power transmission system start6ed operating in China. It transmitted energy from northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region to the eastern Shandong Province.

The 1.58 billion U.S. dollars project is part of China's west-east power transmission program.

The cable system has a current-carrying capacity of 4 million kilowatts of electricity traveling over a distance of 1,333 km through five provinces and regions.

Cui Jifeng, general manager of Ningxia Power Co., a subsidiary of the China Power Grid Co., said the system was built to supply hydropower generated on the upper reaches of the Yellow River, as well as thermal power produced in Ningxia to coastal Shandong.

The system was independently designed, produced, built and tested by Chinese companies, he noted.