China Three Gorges Corporation announced on May 2 that the No. 2 shaft at the Songyang Pumped Storage Power Station in Zhejiang Province has been successfully completed with the assistance of the intelligent excavation equipment "Tiangong Hao." This marks the full completion of both shafts at the power station, setting a new record for excavation depth in China's pumped storage industry and signifying a breakthrough in the intelligent construction of ultra-deep shafts.
The Songyang Pumped Storage Power Station consists of an upper reservoir, a lower reservoir, a water conveyance system, an underground powerhouse, and a surface switchyard. Its water diversion system adopts a single-stage shaft layout—both the No. 1 and No. 2 shafts are 637 meters deep, equivalent to embedding two 200-story skyscrapers vertically into the mountain.
The intelligent excavation equipment "Tiangong Hao," used during construction, features a unique conical cutterhead design that can adapt to complex rock formations. It integrates five layers of platforms, combining subsystems for propulsion, support, water supply, electrical control, and 5G communication networks, enabling unmanned shaft excavation with above-ground remote control.
Working in coordination with "Tiangong Hao," a 700-meter-class intelligent shaft hoisting system functions like a "smart elevator" deep underground. With a maximum lifting height of 700 meters, it is capable of safely transporting personnel and hoisting heavy objects weighing up to 60 tons, addressing challenges in the safe and efficient transport of personnel and materials during ultra-deep shaft construction, according to Sun Huixiang, General Manager of Songyang Company under China Three Gorges Corporation.
After completing its tasks at the Songyang Pumped Storage Power Station, "Tiangong Hao" will be relocated as a whole to other projects. This indicates that China's intelligent construction equipment for ultra-deep shafts has achieved standardized, replicable engineering application conditions, providing mature and reliable technical support for future projects of a similar type.
Located in Songyang County, Lishui City, Zhejiang Province, the Songyang Pumped Storage Power Station is a daily-regulated pure pumped storage facility. It is designed with four reversible turbine-generator units, each with a capacity of 350,000 kilowatts. The first unit is scheduled to be connected to the grid by the end of 2027.
Once operational, the power station will primarily undertake tasks such as peak shaving, valley filling, energy storage, frequency regulation, and emergency backup for the power grid. It will play a crucial role in ensuring the safe and stable operation of the East China power grid and promoting the integration of renewable energy.
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