On the eve of National Day, September 30, workers at the large-scale clean energy equipment heavy manufacturing digital workshop of Dongfang Electric Machinery Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Dongfang Electric Corporation, hoisted the world's largest single-unit-capacity 500-megawatt Pelton turbine runner onto a transport vehicle, beginning its journey of nearly 1,300 kilometers to the Datang Zala Hydropower Station in Tibet.

On September 30, workers transferred the runner onto the transport truck. On September 30, the transport vehicle departed for the Datang Zala Hydropower Station in Tibet.

On September 23, this runner, independently developed by China, was successfully delivered at Dongfang Electric Machinery, and will be used at the Datang Zala Hydropower Station in Tibet, marking a new milestone for China's high-end hydropower core equipment technology.

The delivered runner weighs 80 tons with an outer diameter of 6.2 meters, and its hydraulic efficiency set a new world record. The research and development team overcame complex curved surface design challenges, optimized structural parameters, and achieved full-chain independent controllability in design, manufacturing, and processes, with core technologies fully localized.

The Zala Hydropower Station is the most difficult Pelton hydropower project under construction in the world in terms of comprehensive construction challenges. Currently, the core components of the station's Unit 1 — the distributor ring pipe, stator, rotor, and spherical valve — have been installed, and the unit is expected to be ready for commissioning by the end of this year.

Once the station is put into operation, it will generate nearly 4 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 3.42 million tons per year, contributing to green and low-carbon development.

On September 29, the runner was seen inside the production workshop. On September 29, workers conducted pre-delivery tests on the world's largest single-unit-capacity 500-megawatt Pelton turbine runner. On September 29, workers conducted pre-delivery tests on the world's largest single-unit-capacity 500-megawatt Pelton turbine runner.

On September 29, the buckets of the independently developed runner were seen inside the workshop. On September 30, workers transferred the runner onto the transport truck. On September 30, workers transferred the runner onto the transport truck. On September 30, workers prepared to transfer the runner onto the transport truck. On September 30, workers transferred the runner onto the transport truck. On September 30, workers transferred the runner onto the transport truck.