Screenshot of CCTV News

The first wind power project in Ngari Prefecture, Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, has completed installation of all wind turbines and entered the grid-connection commissioning phase, state broadcaster the CCTV News reported on Thursday.

The 50-megawatt wind farm, operated by China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN), is located on the snow-covered highland in Gaize county, Ngari, at elevations ranging from 4,600 to 4,800 meters above sea surface. The project comprises 10 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 5 megawatts, the CCTV News said.

Situated in one of the world’s highest and harshest environments, the project faced significant construction challenges due to thin air, severe cold and low oxygen levels. From mid-September, local temperatures dropped below 0 Celsius, while strong winds and hail further narrowed the available working windows for transporting large components and carrying out turbine installation.

To keep the project on schedule, the construction team monitored wind conditions in real time and adjusted work plans dynamically to seize favorable weather windows, enabling the completion of all turbine installation work.
  
According to the report, more than 60 construction workers remained on site during the National Day holidays (from October 1 to 7) to continue quality inspections and commissioning work at the booster station ahead of grid connection.

Once fully operational, the project is expected to generate about 180 million kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 150,000 tons. It is also expected to help address the region’s shortage of clean energy, the CCTV News reported.

Global Times