China has completed the construction of a 4,197-kilometer ultra-high voltage (UHV) power grid around the Tarim Basin, Xinhua reported.
The largest project of its kind in the country, the 750 kV ring-shaped power grid, consists of 9 substations and nearly 10,000 steel towers, according to the local Xinjiang-based company responsible for the project, which is part of the Xinjiang branch of the China National Grid Corporation (CNGC) State Grid.
The line took 15 years to build and is expected to be officially put into operation by November 2025, the company said.
The Tarim Basin is home to the Taklamakan Desert, the world's second-largest moving sand desert. For centuries, sandstorms have battered the oases of southern Xinjiang, hampering development in the region.
Officials and experts say the project could boost development in the southern Xinjiang region and provide new energy sources for the entire country.
The transmission line crosses rugged terrain, from shifting desert sands to the towering Kunlun Mountains.
Roads to transport construction materials were built on the move, through dunes averaging 50 meters high and in strong winds. Ropeways were used in mountainous areas to transport nearly 3,000 tons of steel tower components.
To minimize the project's impact on the environment, especially on local desert plants, engineers adjusted the height of the steel towers and made minor changes to the route. There are also plans to lay straw sand barriers along the route, using a brush-shaped mesh, over 480,000 sq m. This technology is a widely used method of sand stabilization in China.
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