State Grid Yichang Power Supply Company Innovation Wins Bronze at Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions

Recently, the 50th Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions successfully concluded. The “Two-Charge, Four-Feed DC System and Uninterrupted Retrofit Method,” developed by the Yidian Huang Nan Model Worker Innovation Studio of State Grid Yichang Power Supply Company, stood out from over 1,000 cutting-edge technologies from 40 countries worldwide, securing the Bronze Award.

Members of the Yidian Huang Nan Model Worker Innovation Studio display the Bronze Award medal and certificate from the Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions

Photo by Liu Ting

As urbanization accelerates, upgrading DC systems in power grid substations faces numerous challenges. The innovation team at State Grid Yichang Power Supply Company successfully achieved equipment replacement and upgrades without power interruptions. Experts from the Swiss Association for Electrical Engineering praised the innovation, stating it "reshapes the standards for power grid retrofitting."

Certificate for the Bronze Award at the Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions

Photo by Liu Ting

According to Huang Nan, the project’s lead creator, the technology has already been demonstratively applied in eight 220 kV substations within the State Grid Hubei Company network. During grid retrofits, this technology innovatively ensures an entirely uninterrupted power supply, effectively safeguarding the public’s electricity needs. The Geneva jury specifically noted that the technology “transforms complex engineering into public well-being with Eastern wisdom.”

After five years of dedicated research and practice, this technology has established an intellectual property portfolio comprising 8 invention patents and 9 utility model patents, successfully overcoming the bottleneck of coordinated control for multi-source equipment. Currently, Huang Nan’s team is extending this technology to applications in substation low-voltage AC systems and the uninterrupted replacement of line protection devices, continuously driving technological advancements powered by innovation.