Assisting the Three Gorges Hydropower Project,
Forging a World-Class Power Miracle

Assisting the Three Gorges
Hydropower Project,
Forging a World-Class
Power Miracle

Overcoming challenges: The Mutual Success of Three Gorges and SUNTEN

Overcoming challenges:
The Mutual Success of
Three Gorges and SUNTEN

Overcoming challenges: The Mutual Success of Three Gorges and SUNTEN
The Three Gorges Hydropower Station is the world’s largest hydropower station, with a total installed capacity of 22.4 million kilowatts. The accompanying transformers have become the world’s largest transformers for hydroelectric generators.
  • 22,400MW

    Boasting a total installed capacity

In 1999, SUNTEN undertook a major national “Ninth Five-Year Plan” research project, developing a single-phase epoxy-cast dry-type excitation transformer suitable for the Three Gorges Hydropower Station, filling a technological gap in China.
  • 42Sets

    2100 and 3000kVA
    dry-type excitation transformers

Overcoming challenges: The Mutual Success of Three Gorges and SUNTEN
The Three Gorges Hydropower Station is the world’s largest hydropower station, with a total installed capacity of 22.4 million kilowatts. The accompanying transformers have become the world’s largest transformers for hydroelectric generators.

In 1999, SUNTEN undertook a major national “Ninth Five-Year Plan” research project, developing a single-phase epoxy-cast dry-type excitation transformer suitable for the Three Gorges Hydropower Station, filling a technological gap in China.

  • 22,400MW

    Boasting a total installed capacity

  • 42Sets

    2100 and 3000kVA dry-type
    excitation transformers

High Technical Difficulty & Strict Quality Control

The Three Gorges Project has extremely high requirements for the reliability, efficiency, and safety of electrical equipment. Sunten had to ensure the stable operation of dry-type transformers under extreme conditions. At the same time, the project has strict requirements for equipment quality, requiring multiple certifications and on-site installation and commissioning to ensure the products meet standards.

Large-Scale Supply & Delivery Pressure

The Three Gorges Project is massive in scale, with large equipment demand and complex specifications. Sunten had to ensure quality while completing large-scale production and delivery on time, facing tight schedules and supply chain management challenges.

Demanding Environmental Adaptability Requirements

The Three Gorges Project is located in the Yangtze River basin with a humid climate, so the equipment needs excellent anti-moisture and anti-corrosion performance. Furthermore, the project requires long-life, low-maintenance equipment, which needs to be fully met in the design and manufacturing.

High Technical Difficulty &
Strict Quality Control

The Three Gorges Project has extremely high requirements for the reliability, efficiency, and safety of electrical equipment. Sunten had to ensure the stable operation of dry-type transformers under extreme conditions. At the same time, the project has strict requirements for equipment quality, requiring multiple certifications and on-site installation and commissioning to ensure the products meet standards.

Large-Scale Supply &
Delivery Pressure

The Three Gorges Project is massive in scale, with large equipment demand and complex specifications. Sunten had to ensure quality while completing large-scale production and delivery on time, facing tight schedules and supply chain management challenges.

Demanding Environmental
Adaptability Requirements

The Three Gorges Project is located in the Yangtze River basin with a humid climate, so the equipment needs excellent anti-moisture and anti-corrosion performance. Furthermore, the project requires long-life, low-maintenance equipment, which needs to be fully met in the design and manufacturing.

Achievements

In 1999, Sunten Electric’s R&D team formulated customized technical parameters for the Three Gorges Hydropower Station, conducting groundbreaking studies including:

Rectifier harmonic analysis for excitation systems

Additional loss quantification

Temperature-rise simulation experiments

In just 9 months, Sunten delivered the equipment a year ahead of schedule with high quality, and the performance and technical indicators reached the international advanced level.

This filled a domestic technological gap and laid the foundation for the localization of excitation transformer equipment for the Three Gorges Power Station. Sunten also collaborated with Siemens and won the bid for the excitation system project of the Three Gorges Power Station’s left bank, becoming the only domestic equipment supplier.

Enduring Impact

SUNTEN has partnered with the Three Gorges Corporation to supply dry-type excitation transformers for hydropower stations such as Baihetan, Xiluodu, Wudongde, and Xiangjiaba. In 2021, when the Baihetan Hydropower Station began operation, SUNTEN secured the entire transformer order, supplying nearly 30 transformers. SUNTEN has established a leading position in the power transformers for hydropower plant applications. From the Three Gorges to Baihetan, SUNTEN has consistently driven the localization of equipment, helping China’s hydropower industry transition from a “follower” to a “leader”.

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