Kuqa-Aral-Bachu 750 kV Transmission and Transformation Project Fully Enters Conductor Stringing Stage

On September 24, on the Gobi Desert 30 kilometers from Xinhe County in the Aksu region, the tension machine roared as a massive conductor reel slowly rotated. One by one, the silver wires gradually crossed the over 50-meter-high crossing network, extending towards the distant towers. With the last conductor successfully positioned, the Kuqa-Aral-Bachu 750 kV line project successfully crossed two existing 750 kV power lines over two spans totaling 806 meters in length. This marks the project's full transition into the conductor stringing stage.

Conductor installation of the Kuqa-Aral-Bachu 750 kV transmission line project (Photo by Wu Xiongxiong)

The Kuqa-Aral-Bachu 750 kV transmission and transformation project is a strategic initiative, aimed at fostering high-quality development of southern Xinjiang. It seeks to promote the clean, low-carbon transformation of Xinjiang's energy sector and accelerate the construction of a new power system demonstration zone. The project starts from the existing Kuqa 750 kV substation and ends at the already built Bachu 750 kV substation, with a new Aral 750 kV substation under construction. This new substation will increase transformer capacity by three million kVA. The total length of the line is 485.029 kilometers, with 1,049 new towers being built. With a total investment of CNY 3.04 billion, the project is scheduled for completion and operation in September 2025.

Kuqa-Aral-Bachu 750 kV transmission line project crossing the Kuqa-Aral 750 kV Line 1 and 2 (Photo by Wu Xiongxiong)

Conductor installation of the Kuqa-Aral-Bachu 750 kV transmission line project (Photo by Wu Xiongxiong)

At the construction site of the Kuqa-Aral-Bachu 750 kV transmission line project, workers are installing optical cable pulleys. (Photo by Wu Xiongxiong)

As the backbone network of the new power system in southern Xinjiang, the project will boost the power supply capacity by 500,000 kW in the Aral region once it is operational, meeting the electricity demands of the Aral region's Corps. Additionally, it will effectively improve the main grid's ability to supply power to the four prefectures in southern Xinjiang and increase the transmission capacity of new energy in the region, providing robust power support for the high-quality development of southern Xinjiang and the Corps. (Text/Photo by An Zhe, Wu Xiongxiong, Liu Jun)