On the 29th, reporters learned from the power grid that China's first quantum application demonstration substation has commenced operations in Hefei, Anhui Province. This substation integrates multiple quantum technologies to effectively enhance the secure operation of regional power systems.

After more than six months of trial operation, all parameters and indicators within this quantum substation have met expected requirements, and it has officially commenced full-scale operation. The substation encompasses three core areas: quantum measurement, quantum communication, and quantum computing, marking a major breakthrough in the industrial application of quantum technology within the power sector. Supported by quantum technology, personnel can now more safely and reliably access data and information such as equipment parameters and electricity load within the substation.

Zhao Long, Energy Internet Center, State Grid Anhui Electric Power Research Institute: The substation houses a total of 85 quantum devices across 18 categories. Together, these form a "power + quantum" sensing network that enables us to more rapidly detect, locate, and diagnose faults and potential hazards in substation equipment, effectively reducing power system inspection and maintenance costs.

Among these 85 devices, 75 are measurement instruments, significantly enhancing the precision of measurements such as current and voltage. Taking current measurement as an example, quantum technology enables the measurement accuracy to be elevated from the conventional one-thousandth to one-hundred-thousandth, allowing even the slightest changes to be detected.

Furthermore, with quantum communication technology,critical operational data such as power grid dispatch information and electricity load data can be transmitted with enhanced encryption,thereby improving the security of power grid data transmission.

According to reports, the substation is located in the core area of the "World Quantum Center" currently under construction in Hefei High-Tech Zone. The integration of power and quantum technologies not only provides high-tech industries with enhanced power supply reliability and electrical quality but also continuously validates the practical application performance of quantum technologies. This collaboration offers new means and support for ensuring the safe, economical, and reliable operation of the power grid.

Huang Haihong, Vice Dean of the School of Electrical and Automation Engineering, Hefei University of Technology:Quantum technology represents a major technological revolution for the power sector. Its emergence is expected to provide novel and more precise methods for addressing some of the challenges within power systems.

This article is reprinted from: CCTV News App