Guizhou firm breaks tech barrier in 35kV insulated wires

A Guizhou company recently successfully achieved trial production of 35kV overhead insulated wires – breaking a technological logjam where no Guizhou company was previously capable of producing such a product.

The trailblazer is Guizhou Xinshuguang Cable Co, which is located in the Guiyang National High-tech Industrial Development Zone, or Guiyang HIDZ – situated in Guiyang, capital city of Southwest China's Guizhou province.

According to Zhu Xiaohong, general manager of the company, overhead lines are the main form of power transmission in China. They are widely distributed throughout the country – long in length and complex in their operating environment. Moreover, their operational stability directly affects the security of the power grid and the reliability of the power supply.

However, ordinary 35kV overhead lines are bare conductors, which must be transmitted at high altitudes in sparsely populated areas by erecting iron towers to prevent high-voltage electrical injuries caused by human or animal contact.

But the 35kV overhead insulated wires produced by Zhu's company are covered with a layer of 9.5 millimeter-thick insulation, which are not only simple to set up, but can also directly enter residential areas.

Ideal for use especially in large communities and industrial parks, the products can improve the reliability of lines while ensuring voltage quality and reducing energy consumption, Zhu added.

The 35kV overhead insulated wires reportedly have obvious advantages such as good insulation, strong corrosion resistance and a long maintenance cycle. However, the production process is difficult. Among the approximately 100,000 wire manufacturers in the country, less than 0.03 percent have the technology to produce them.

It is understood that the annual output of the Guizhou company's 35kV overhead insulated wires can currently reach around 1,000 kilometers, but it is expected to go into mass production in late February.