A wind power project in Xundian Hui and Yi Autonomous County, Kunming, Yunnan Province, saw its first large-capacity units connected to the grid on June 19. The wind farm sits at an average altitude of 3,239 meters, and the turbines put into operation each have a capacity of 11.1 MW, making them the largest single-unit capacity in a highland wind project in China.
The project is the expansion of the Julongliang wind farm by China Datang. It has a total installed capacity of 158.22 MW, and a 220 kV transmission line approximately 40.271 kilometers long was built to ensure stable delivery of the clean electricity.
The 11.1 MW turbines were custom-developed for the highland environment. They feature a tower height of 125 meters and a rotor diameter of 221 meters, with a swept area equivalent to about 5.5 standard football fields. To cope with the low air density and strong turbulent winds at high altitudes, the project incorporated specialized optimizations in turbine operation algorithms, nacelle temperature control systems, and blade aerodynamic structures to avoid risks such as stalling and vortex-induced vibration. In addition, turbine configurations were tailored to regional wind speed variations and substation access capacity to enhance overall generation efficiency.
According to the introduction, once fully completed and put into operation, the project is expected to generate about 462 GWh of electricity annually. It can save about 140,000 tonnes of standard coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 380,000 tonnes each year, supplying enough power for 180,000 three-person households for a year. This achievement is seen as having positive significance for optimizing the regional energy supply structure and promoting green and low-carbon development.