China's first intelligent drilling and anchoring equipment used in pumped storage project

China Power Construction Corporation (China Power Construction) has successfully deployed a newly developed intelligent drilling and anchoring integrated equipment for long inclined shafts at the Jiufengshan Pumped Storage Power Station in Huixian, Henan Province.

The Jiufengshan project is a key national energy initiative under China's 14th Five-Year Plan and is the largest pumped storage project under construction in Henan Province. The station has a total installed capacity of 2.1 million kilowatts. A significant challenge in its construction involves long inclined shafts, each exceeding 430 meters in length, with a cumulative total length of 2617 meters. These shafts have excavation diameters of 6.7 and 7.4 meters and reach a maximum inclination angle of 58 degrees.

In areas with complex geological conditions, characterized by developed rock stratification and joints, traditional drilling and blasting methods are inefficient, labor-intensive, and pose high safety risks. To address this, China Power Construction's subsidiary, Hydropower Eleventh Engineering, led the development of the integrated intelligent equipment. This equipment combines rock drilling, muck removal, support, and lifting functions into a modular design.

The system features multi-functional operations and intelligent control, allowing for local, remote, and smart monitoring. It is designed for mechanized excavation across the full face of inclined shafts. The equipment has already completed over 60 meters of expansion excavation in the No. 3 diversion inclined shaft, demonstrating its practical application and effectiveness.

This technological advancement is expected to improve construction efficiency and safety for pumped storage projects with similar geological and topographical challenges across China.