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World’s Largest Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Plant Now Goes Live

Storage

Business Honor
13 August, 2024

Hebei’s Fengning Pumped Storage Power Station Sets New Record with 3.6GW Capacity

The Fengning Pumped Storage Power Station, situated on the Luanhe River in Chengde City, Hebei Province, China, has officially become the largest operational pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) plant in the world. With the recent activation of its 12th and final turbine unit, this colossal facility now boasts an impressive capacity of 3.6 gigawatts (GW), surpassing the previously largest plant, Virginia’s Bath County facility, which has a capacity of 3.003GW.

The Fengning plant features 12 units, including 10 fixed-speed and 2 variable-speed units, each rated at 300 megawatts (MW). Notably, the variable-speed units, a first in China, enhance the plant's ability to adapt to varying grid loads and stability requirements. The installation process for these units has been intricate, with a detailed timeline reported by Austria-headquartered technology provider Andritz, including key milestones from stator and rotor installations to commissioning phases completed throughout 2023.

China’s rapid advancements in hydropower reflect its ambitious goals, with plans to reach 80GW of PHES by 2027 and a total hydropower capacity of up to 120GW by 2030. This substantial increase in capacity highlights China’s commitment to expanding renewable energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, other major projects, such as the 5GW Pioneer-Burdekin project in Australia, are also in the pipeline, promising further advancements in energy storage technology.