The new plant was invested in by the China Three Gorges Corporation; construction started in 2014. The first batch of units began operation in June 2021 and all units will be put into operation in June 2022.
The station at Baihetan has an installed capacity of 16 million kW. As a renewable energy source, Baihetan Dam hydropower plant plays an important role in powering the world in a sustainable way. It meets the UN Sustainable Goal 7, to “ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.”
Over 100 actuators from Rotork’s IQ3 range have been installed to operate ball valves on the Baihetan site. They drive the water supply systems within the power station, as well as drainage systems, air compression systems and other auxiliary systems. Electric actuation was chosen partly due to easy access to existing power cabling, providing a low-cost energy source for the actuators. Additionally, installation space was limited and there was no ability to have a central compressor on site, so electric actuation was the logical choice.
IQ actuators are ideally suited for operation on a site like Baihetan; they are reliable, robust and efficient, with data logs that can provide insight into performance. Continuous position tracking is available at all times, even without power.
