Chinese utility Hubei Qingjiang Hydropower Development Company has selected technology firm Hitachi ABB Power Grids to modernise its Geheyan hydropower plant in central China.

Upgrades will include the installation of gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) and an online monitoring solution to enable the plant to continue to deliver stable and clean energy to the region.

Hitachi ABB Power Grids will replace third-party GIS, upgrade and install 550-kilovolt (kV), 220-kV GIS and high-voltage bushings for transformers to enhance the reliability of the power plant and minimize power losses.

The 1.2GW system is the backbone power plant for peak load shifting and frequency regulation in central China’s power system.

The plant started operating in 1994.

Thomas Westman, head of high voltage? services at Hitachi ABB Power Grids said the upgrades will help Hubei Qingjiang Hydropower Development Company reduce losses associated with the building of new generation infrastructure to meet energy demand, as well as help China to move closer to its carbon-neutrality goals.