The construction site of an onshore convertor station, part of the Sanxia (Rudong) wind power project [Photo/WeChat account: rudongfb]

Construction on the Sanxia new energy (Rudong) offshore wind power station began in Rudong county, Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province on Feb 24. It has received a total of about 14.3 billion yuan ($2.04 billion) in investment.

Two wind power plants and 200 wind turbines will be installed with a total capacity of 800 megawatts. The entire project is expected to be completed and begin operating sometime in 2021.

This is the first project to apply a Voltage Source Converter based on High Voltage Direct Current (VSC-HVDC) technology in the offshore wind power industry. The submarine cable used in the project has a higher level of voltage and a longer transmission distance than any other such cable in China.

The plant is expected to be able to provide 2.4 billion kilowatt hours of power every year, enabling it to meet the needs of around 990,000 households in total. It will be able to reduce coal use by 740,000 metric tons and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.83 million tons per year.

According to Liu Yu, deputy manager of the project, a total of around 2,000 jobs will be provided by the project.

Rudong county is currently home to the largest offshore wind power plant in China and has developed an integrated industrial chain around it. This new plant is expected to further the development of the county's wind power industry.