Siemens awarded order worth more than 300 million euros by China to construct the high-voltage DC link with the world’s highest ever power capacity

Siemens Power Transmission and Distribution (PTD) has won an order from China Southern Power Grid Company, Guangzhou, to construct a high-voltage DC transmission (HVDC) system between the province of Yunnan in the southwest corner of China and the province of Guangdong on the south coast of the country together with Chinese partners. This project with a power transmission capacity of 5000 MW and a transmission voltage of 800 kilovolts will be the long-distance HVDC link with the world’s highest ever power capacity which has been built. The Siemens value of the order in total is more than 300 million euros. The system is scheduled to commence commercial service by
mid-2010.

“This outstanding order shows that innovation investments have been worthwhile. This is the fifth HVDC order by China,” said Dr. Udo Niehage, President of Siemens Power Transmission and Distribution Group (PTD). China is the fastest growing market in the field of power transmission and distribution and will become the world’s largest single market for HVDC transmission technology over the next 20 to 30 years. The steep rise in demand for power in China’s industrial centers means that huge amounts of electricity have to be conveyed over distances of one thousand kilometers and more. “HVDC transmission is the only expedient method, in terms of both technology and efficiency – in this area we are technology leader,” Niehage said.
The additional electric power from the province of Yunnan is intended to supply the rapidly growing industrial region of the Pearl River delta in the province of Guangdong and the megacities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen. In future the electricity generated by several hydro-electric power plants will be transported from Yunnan via 1,400 km to Guangdong over this long-distance HVDC link. Hydro-electric power generation is economically, environment-friendly and does not emit any CO2. This HVDC link will save the emission of more than 30 million tons of CO2 a year. That is how much of the gas which is harmful to the climate would be produced otherwise, for example through the construction of additional fossil fired conventional power plants in the province of Guangdong to serve the regional grid.

Together with Chinese partners, Siemens designs the complex HVDC system and supplies HVDC main components. Furthermore Siemens supports its Chinese partners in design and manufacturing of further HVDC components.


The Siemens Power Transmission and Distribution Group (PTD), headquartered in Erlangen, Germany, is one of the leading global players in its market sector. As a product supplier, system integrator, solution designer and service provider, Siemens PTD ensures - for utilities and industry alike - the efficient and reliable transmission of electrical energy from the power plant to the consumer. With a worldwide workforce of about 27,500 and operations in more than 100 countries, PTD had sales of 6.5 billion euros according to U.S. GAAP in fiscal 2006. Further information at: www.siemens.com/ptd