Recently, the CTGR Qinghai Ge'ermu 100MW Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) project achieved a critical operational breakthrough—the project's power generation unit completed nearly 120 hours of continuous stable operation, with cumulative power generation reaching 5.51 million kWh, and daily power generation exceeding one million kWh throughout the entire operation period.
Located in the Wutumeiren PV/CSP Base in Ge'ermu City, Haixi Prefecture, Qinghai Province, the project was contracted by a consortium comprising Northwest Electric Power Design Institute Co., LTD, of China Power Engineering Consulting Group , Shouhang High-tech Energy Technology Co., Ltd. , PowerChina Sichuan Engineering Corporation Limited, and Shanghai Investigation, Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd. With a total installed capacity of 100MW, the project adopts tower concentrated solar power technology, equipped with an 8-hour molten salt thermal storage system, demonstrating excellent energy storage, peak shaving, and stable power supply capabilities. Upon completion, the project is expected to generate an annual average of 227.138 million kWh, with annual utilization hours of approximately 2,271 hours. It will save 69,240 tons of standard coal annually, while reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 188,950 tons, smoke and dust by 7.267 tons, sulfur dioxide by 36.34 tons, and nitrogen oxides by 40.65 tons, delivering significant ecological and social benefits. Furthermore, the project can effectively match the growing electricity demand of the Qinghai power grid, enhance regional grid reliability and operational stability, and provide strong support for the scaled development of Qinghai's new energy industry and the region's green and low-carbon energy transition.
To efficiently utilize the favorable window period with abundant solar resources and excellent meteorological conditions, the project department coordinated and organized operation, maintenance, and testing activities, refining and improving core workflows including unit start-stop control, comprehensive equipment inspection, and precise grid integration. Safety and O&M responsibilities were reinforced at every level, with normalized hidden danger investigation and rectification work carried out to ensure safe and reliable unit operation in all aspects. On August 9, the unit was smoothly disconnected in strict accordance with grid dispatch instructions. During this period, the unit operated continuously for a cumulative total of 119.83 hours, with daily power generation reaching 1.11 million kWh, 1.09 million kWh, 1.19 million kWh, 1.07 million kWh, and 1.05 million kWh respectively. Overall operating conditions were stable, controllable, and performed excellently.
The successful completion of this long-term grid-connected trial operation marks an important milestone in the project's construction and O&M, comprehensively validating the scientific design, equipment adaptability, and technological advancement of the unit under the complex environment of high-altitude desert regions. Through this practical operation, the project team successfully accumulated core experience in long-term continuous O&M of molten salt systems, overcame multiple on-site technical challenges and operational pain points, effectively honed professional O&M response capabilities, and accumulated valuable measured data and practical experience for the project's standardized and normalized operation.