China flags disconnect issue with sub-standard wind turbines

Not all of China's wind turbines are up to the nationally required standards of energy security, according to China's electricity regulatory authority. According to a report from Xinhua, a circular published by the the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC) said that wind turbines must have low-voltage ride through (LVRT) capability.

The LVRT capability means the turbines being able to cope with the stresses of fast rises and drops in voltage, allowing the power grid to maintain a consistent flow of electricity. But many turbines have no LVRT capability and retrofitting older systems is costly and difficult.

SERC's warning to the industry was a consequence of two incidents on the same day in April when turbines were disconnected from the grid in Gansu's city of Jiuquan and Hebei's city of Zhangjiakou. There had been another incident in February and the SERC said this illustrated a major problem in China's wind power industry, according to Xhinua.