EoW November 2010

technology news

“ ACID-FREE PROCESS FOR STEEL ROD CLEANING & SURFACE PREPARATION” “New Way to Draw Steel Wire in the 21 st Century”

China’s Xinhua news agency reports that construction has begun of the world’s longest and possibly most difficult electricity transmission and conversion project on the Tibetan Plateau. China calls the project “Heaven Road”. Construction was apparently started simultaneously in Golmud City of Qinghai Province and Lhasa City of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). The report said that of the transmission network’s total length of 1,774km, around 565km would run through year-round permafrost areas. The project consists of two main electricity networks: a 750kV alternating current networking project running through the Xining-Riyue Mountain-Wulan-Golmud route and a 400kV direct current networking project through the Golmud-Lhasa route, along with other auxiliary projects. The project is intended to provide energy security, especially in winter, and for the TAR’s rapid economic and social development. During summer, the project will convoy surplus water in central Tibet to the Qinghai grid network, to translate hydropower resources into economic benefits. A People’s Daily online report of 30 th July said the project, due to be completed in 2012, breaks three world records: the world’s longest high-altitude DC transmission line, with the average altitude being 4,650m and the highest being 5,300m; a DC transmission line that passes through the longest length of permafrost in the world; and a high-altitude DC transmission line that passes through areas with the world’s most vulnerable ecosystem. However, the report added that the project avoids environmentally sensitive areas such as Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve and Hoh Xil Nature Reserve. Xinhua News – China Website : www.xinhuanet.com High-altitude power line set to boost Tibet’s development Composite Technology Corporation (CTC) has completed a 400kV ACCC® conductor transmission line in Germany. The ACCC 318mm 2 Oslo conductor transmission line in Hanekenfahr, Germany was completed in late 2009 and is now fully energised. The four kilometre, double bundled 400kV line will run at 1,180 amps and is the first ACCC conductor line to be energised by Amprion. The line served as a pilot for Amprion’s personnel to become acquainted with installing CTC Cable’s high efficiency ACCC conductor and accessories and for future consideration of ACCC conductor for high capacity, congested transmission lines. Amprion selected ACCC 318mm 2 Oslo conductor because conventional conductors reach capacity at 80˚C, and it needed to significantly increase capacity without thermal sag. Amprion tested the ACCC 318mm 2 Oslo conductor and found that it met the requirements for increasing capacity, with less sag at higher temperatures than conventional conductors. Amprion GmbH operates Germany’s longest extra-high voltage grid, with a circuit length of 11,000km, and is an important transmission system operator in Europe. A population of over 27 million from Lower Saxony down to the Alps is supplied with power via the Amprion grid. Amprion is responsible for coordinating the interconnected system within Germany and the northern section of Europe’s extra-high voltage network. Composite Technology Corporation – USA Website : www.compositetechcorp.com High voltage transmission line in Germany Amprion GmbH – Germany Website : www.amprion.net

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DECALUB 31, avenue de Condé 77500 CHELLES, FRANCE Fax: +33 1 60 20 20 21 E-mail: info@decalub.com Website: www.decalub.com

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EuroWire – November 2010