Looking at Xinjiang in Four Seasons: Along Rivers and Lakes | Looking at Xinjiang in the hinterland of the East Tianshan Mountains | Construction of the "Super Power Bank" Busy Power Grid | New Energy | Tianshan Mountains
It can be used for both pumped storage and water discharge for power generation. After completion, it can not only assist in the consumption of new energy such as wind and photovoltaic power, but also improve ecology and reduce carbon emissions. The reporter recently visited the Hami Pumped Storage Power Station in Xinjiang to explore the development path of this "super power bank".
The construction of Hami pumped storage power station is busy.
The Hami Pumped Storage Power Station is located in Tianshan Township, Yizhou District, Hami City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is situated deep in the Tianshan Mountains, with steep terrain and complex engineering geological conditions. The reporter saw on site that the downstream reservoir of the power station has been successfully intercepted, and the preliminary construction has been basically completed. Currently, the main construction projects of the power station chamber group, upper reservoir, and downstream reservoir are fully underway, with busy construction vehicles and non-stop construction personnel.
Xu Hongwei, General Manager of State Grid Xinyuan Xinjiang Hami Pumped Storage Co., Ltd., told reporters that as natural energy, wind and solar power have intermittent and fluctuating characteristics. "Fluctuations in power generation output will have an impact on the smooth operation of the power grid. The construction of pumped storage power stations will effectively suppress fluctuations in new energy generation, reduce wind and solar power abandonment, and improve the efficiency of new energy generation utilization."
![Looking at Xinjiang in Four Seasons: Along Rivers and Lakes | Looking at Xinjiang in the hinterland of the East Tianshan Mountains | Construction of the "Super Power Bank" Busy Power Grid | New Energy | Tianshan Mountains](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/de37b856f6637db8cb2d8e8795b25f40.jpg)
"For the power grid, the entire power station is like a 'super power bank'." Xu Hongwei said that when the power grid is in peak electricity consumption, the upper reservoir of the power station releases water to ensure power supply. When the power grid is in low electricity consumption, the lower reservoir of the power station uses low valley electricity to pump and store energy. "It means low pumping and high power generation, bidirectional operation, and cyclic operation. Through the unique advantages of 'peak shaving and valley filling', it promotes the consumption of new energy electricity and maintains the stable operation of the power grid."
The outlet of the flood discharge and sand discharge tunnel at the Hami pumped storage power station is filled with surging water. Photo by reporter Gou Lifeng from Xinhua News Agency
In addition, due to the arid climate, various types of production and domestic water in the local area rely entirely on the melting water of Tianshan ice and snow. After the completion of the power station, the upper and lower water reservoirs will become important water storage sources in Hami, realizing the unique value of "electricity to maintain water", and the micro ecological environment around the power station will also be improved.
The total installed capacity of Hami Pumped Storage Power Station is 1.2 million kilowatts. Construction began in September 2020 and it is planned to be fully put into operation and generate electricity by 2028. The designed annual power generation of the power station is 1.368 billion kilowatt hours.
![Looking at Xinjiang in Four Seasons: Along Rivers and Lakes | Looking at Xinjiang in the hinterland of the East Tianshan Mountains | Construction of the "Super Power Bank" Busy Power Grid | New Energy | Tianshan Mountains](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/ff46e3a5a777b757b44a22c082ce0c1d.jpg)
It is understood that Hami is an important energy base in China, with abundant reserves of traditional resources such as coal, oil and gas, and also a huge potential new energy power generation base. As of the end of March this year, Hami's installed capacity of new energy exceeded 15 million kilowatts. The construction of pumped storage power stations as a supporting project for new energy development will greatly improve the efficiency of new energy generation development and utilization, and greatly enhance the external transmission capacity of new energy power such as wind power and photovoltaics in Hami region.