China has completed the Fengning Pumped Storage Power Station in Hebei province, now the largest facility of its kind globally. The plant, which has a total installed capacity of 3.6GW, is operated by the State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC). The final turbine unit was activated on August 11, 2024, marking the end of construction that began in June 2013.

The project was built in two phases, each phase adding six 300 MW reversible pump-turbine units. The Gezhouba Group secured the main construction contract in April 2014, while ANDRITZ Hydro provided two variable speed generators for the second phase in 2017.

Initially designed to support the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, the Fengning plant now surpasses the Bath County Pumped Storage Station in the US as the world’s largest pumped hydro station in terms of capacity.

Pumped hydropower plants like Fengning are vital for stabilizing energy grids, especially as renewable energy use increases. According to the World Hydropower Outlook 2024, China continues to lead in hydropower development, having added 6.7 GW of new capacity in 2023, including over 6.2 GW of pumped storage. With Fengning now online, China aims to expand its pumped storage capacity to 80 GW by 2027 and reach a total hydropower capacity of 120 GW by 2030.

Globally, pumped storage hydropower is the largest form of renewable energy storage, with nearly 200 GW of installed capacity. The International Hydropower Association (IHA) is highlighting a year-long campaign to drive pumped storage hydropower development, culminating at the International Forum for Pumped Storage Hydropower 2.0 in Paris in 2025, where industry leaders will discuss future developments.

“It’s inspiring to see how the first of the renewable energies continues to break new records, support new technologies, and come up with new solutions. The hydropower industry is constantly innovating, and we look forward to bringing an international delegation to China to learn more about the latest developments there,” said Pablo Valverde, Deputy CEO of IHA.

by waterpowermagazine