On February 6th, maintenance personnel from State Grid Qinghai Electric Power Company successfully performed live-line work at an altitude of 5,211.5 meters near the Tanggula Pass. The operation addressed defects on the ±400 kilovolt Chaidamu-Lhasa direct current line, part of the Qinghai-Tibet Power Grid Interconnection Project, ensuring a stable power supply for the Tibet region during the Spring Festival period. This live-line work set a new world record for the highest altitude at which ultra-high voltage live-line work has been conducted. It marks the first time China has carried out such ultra-high voltage live-line operations in an area exceeding 5,000 meters in altitude, establishing a new "Chinese benchmark" for power grid maintenance at high elevations.
The ±400 kilovolt Qinghai-Tibet Power Grid Interconnection Project is China's first major power line extending into Tibet. Serving as a critical "energy artery" linking Qinghai and Tibet, the project commenced operations at the end of 2011. Its completion successfully integrated the Tibetan power grid with the national grid, resolving long-standing issues of winter power shortages in Tibet and challenges associated with summer hydropower absorption. The direct current segment from the Chaidamu Converter Station to the Lhasa Converter Station, known as the Chaidamu-Lhasa DC line, averages an altitude of 4,650 meters and traverses permafrost regions, presenting significant difficulties for line operation and maintenance.
"Tibet is currently experiencing its peak electricity consumption period, and this 'Power Sky Road' project is operating at high capacity. Even a minor fault has the potential to escalate into a major issue," explained Ying Hong, a safety officer with the "Tanggula Eagle" maintenance team of State Grid Qinghai Ultra-High Voltage Company. Prior to the Spring Festival, the company mobilized specialized teams to conduct comprehensive, detailed inspections of the line using drones. The inspections identified two locations where spacer dampers on the conductors had become loose and detached due to frequent strong winds.
To ensure an uninterrupted power supply via the "Power Sky Road" and guarantee a warm and peaceful Spring Festival for residents of Tibet, State Grid Qinghai Ultra-High Voltage Company organized two live-line work teams to perform the necessary repairs before the holiday. The work was conducted at two sites: one at Tower No. 1382 near the Tanggula Pass, at an altitude of 5,211.5 meters, and the other at Tower No. 1134 in the Yanchiping area, at an altitude of 4,691 meters. The altitudes of both work sites set new world records.
The successful execution of live-line work at 5,211.5 meters demonstrates China's advanced capabilities in power grid maintenance under ultra-high altitude and extreme environmental conditions. It also signifies the availability of safer, more efficient, and more reliable technical methods for grid upkeep, which can minimize power outage durations and provide stronger support for local economic development and the safeguarding of people's livelihoods.
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