Yangtze River Crossing
Encyclopedia
The Yangtze River Power Line Crossings refer to overhead power lines
that cross the Yangtze River
in China
. There are at least three power line crossings on the Yangtze River at Jiangyin
, Nanjing
, and Wuhu
. The one at Jiangyin has the tallest electrical pylons (transmission towers) in the world.
, Jiangsu Province
, China
. Each pylon is situated at 31°58′17"N 120°3′12"E and at 31°57′4"N 120°2′53"E. It is a section of the 500kV-power line from the Yancheng
power station
to the Dou Shan substation in the province of Jiangsu
. The power line section running over the river has a span width of 2303 m (7,556 ft). It is carried by two 346.5 m (1,137 ft) tall suspension electricity pylons, each weighing 4,192 tons, and as of April 13, 2004 both are the tallest electricity pylons in the world. The towers even surpass the height of the Eiffel Tower
, which is 324 m (1,063 ft) (including antenna) in comparison. They are identical lattice tower
s of square cross section with an area of 68 m (223 ft) × 68 m at the base and 8 m (26 ft) × 8 m at the top. The pylons are of the Danube
type carrying 4 conductors on the lower crossbar, 312 m (1,024 ft) above ground with a length of 77 m (253 ft) and two conductors on the upper crossbar. The insulator chains are 10 m (33 ft) long. These pylons are both equipped with an elevator
which runs in a cylindrical tube in its center. A spiral staircase circles the elevator shaft outside.
On each side of the river are each main span pylon, followed by two anchor towers
; one for each circuit. The anchor pylons are each 55 m (180 ft) tall, weigh 110 tons and stand on an area of 16 by 24 m (52.5 by 78.7 ft).
Construction of the pylons started on November 8, 2002. They were completed on April 13, 2004. On November 18, 2004, the power line went into service.
, Jiangsu Province
, China
, built in 1992. It uses two 257 m (843 ft) tall pylons built of reinforced concrete, which may be the tallest pylons built out of concrete in the world. They are situated at 31°57′46"N 118°36′58"E and at 31°57′11"N 118°38′4"E and carry 6 conductors in two levels. The span width is 2053 m (6,736 ft).
powerline crosses the Yangtze River near Wuhu, Anhui Province
, China
, at 31°30′2"N 118°22′11"E and 31°30′37"N 118°21′11"E. The pylons were built in 2003. The crossing consists of two 229 m (751 ft) tall pylons built as constructions of tubular steel, which carry two conductors. The span width is 1910 m (6,266 ft). Close to it, there is a 500 kV AC powerline crossing with a span width of 1960 m (6,430 ft) on probably taller towers and a 110 kV AC powerline crossing with a span width of 1410 m (4,626 ft). Both AC crossings have 6 conductors.
Overhead line crossing
An overhead line crossing is the crossing of an obstacle—such as a traffic route, a river, a valley or a strait—by an overhead power line. The style of crossing depends on the local conditions and regulations at the time the power line is constructed. Overhead line crossings can...
that cross the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
in China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. There are at least three power line crossings on the Yangtze River at Jiangyin
Jiangyin
Jiangyin is a city in China's Jiangsu province on the Yangtze River. It has population of 1.2 million . The total GDP reached RMB 171.3 billion yuan in 2009, an increase of 11.6% from 2008. The GDP per capita reached RMB 142,572 yuan...
, Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
, and Wuhu
Wuhu
Wuhu is a prefecture-level city in the southeastern Anhui province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the southeast bank of the Yangtze River, Wuhu borders Xuancheng to the southeast, Chizhou and Tongling to the southwest, Chaohu to the northwest, Ma'anshan to the northeast, and the...
. The one at Jiangyin has the tallest electrical pylons (transmission towers) in the world.
Jiangyin
One exists at JiangyinJiangyin
Jiangyin is a city in China's Jiangsu province on the Yangtze River. It has population of 1.2 million . The total GDP reached RMB 171.3 billion yuan in 2009, an increase of 11.6% from 2008. The GDP per capita reached RMB 142,572 yuan...
, Jiangsu Province
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. Each pylon is situated at 31°58′17"N 120°3′12"E and at 31°57′4"N 120°2′53"E. It is a section of the 500kV-power line from the Yancheng
Yancheng
Yancheng is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. The city with the largest jurisdiction area in Jiangsu, Yancheng borders Lianyungang to the north, Huai'an to the west, Yangzhou and Taizhou to the southwest, Nantong to the south, and looks out to...
power station
Power station
A power station is an industrial facility for the generation of electric energy....
to the Dou Shan substation in the province of Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
. The power line section running over the river has a span width of 2303 m (7,556 ft). It is carried by two 346.5 m (1,137 ft) tall suspension electricity pylons, each weighing 4,192 tons, and as of April 13, 2004 both are the tallest electricity pylons in the world. The towers even surpass the height of the Eiffel Tower
Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
, which is 324 m (1,063 ft) (including antenna) in comparison. They are identical lattice tower
Lattice tower
A lattice tower or truss tower is a freestanding framework tower. They can be used as electricity pylons especially for voltages above 100 kilovolts, as a radio tower or as an observation tower....
s of square cross section with an area of 68 m (223 ft) × 68 m at the base and 8 m (26 ft) × 8 m at the top. The pylons are of the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
type carrying 4 conductors on the lower crossbar, 312 m (1,024 ft) above ground with a length of 77 m (253 ft) and two conductors on the upper crossbar. The insulator chains are 10 m (33 ft) long. These pylons are both equipped with an elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
which runs in a cylindrical tube in its center. A spiral staircase circles the elevator shaft outside.
On each side of the river are each main span pylon, followed by two anchor towers
Dead-end tower
A dead-end tower uses horizontal strain insulators and occur at the endpoints of conductors. Such endpoints are necessary when interfacing with other modes of power transmission and, due to the inflexibility of the conductors, when significantly altering the direction of the tower line...
; one for each circuit. The anchor pylons are each 55 m (180 ft) tall, weigh 110 tons and stand on an area of 16 by 24 m (52.5 by 78.7 ft).
Construction of the pylons started on November 8, 2002. They were completed on April 13, 2004. On November 18, 2004, the power line went into service.
Nanjing
A dual circuit, 500 kV AC overhead powerline crosses the Yangtze River at NanjingNanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
, Jiangsu Province
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, built in 1992. It uses two 257 m (843 ft) tall pylons built of reinforced concrete, which may be the tallest pylons built out of concrete in the world. They are situated at 31°57′46"N 118°36′58"E and at 31°57′11"N 118°38′4"E and carry 6 conductors in two levels. The span width is 2053 m (6,736 ft).
Wuhu
The HVDC Three Gorges-ChangzhouHVDC Three Gorges-Changzhou
The HVDC Three Gorges – Changzhou is an long bipolar HVDC transmission line in China for the transmission of electric power from the Three Gorges power plant to the area of Changzhou....
powerline crosses the Yangtze River near Wuhu, Anhui Province
Anhui
Anhui is a province in the People's Republic of China. Located in eastern China across the basins of the Yangtze River and the Huai River, it borders Jiangsu to the east, Zhejiang to the southeast, Jiangxi to the south, Hubei to the southwest, Henan to the northwest, and Shandong for a tiny...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, at 31°30′2"N 118°22′11"E and 31°30′37"N 118°21′11"E. The pylons were built in 2003. The crossing consists of two 229 m (751 ft) tall pylons built as constructions of tubular steel, which carry two conductors. The span width is 1910 m (6,266 ft). Close to it, there is a 500 kV AC powerline crossing with a span width of 1960 m (6,430 ft) on probably taller towers and a 110 kV AC powerline crossing with a span width of 1410 m (4,626 ft). Both AC crossings have 6 conductors.
See also
- Yangtze River bridges and tunnels
- List of tallest buildings and structures in the world
- List of tallest freestanding structures in the world