Recently in Lingchuan County, Jincheng, Shanxi, Xinjiang Electric Power Construction Co., Ltd. successfully completed the nation's first 185-meter mountainous hybrid-tower wind power installation. The 93-ton operator cab was smoothly mounted onto the 185-meter tower at the first phase of the 100MW Jinfeng Tianyi New Energy Wind Power Project.

The project utilizes a 6.25MW wind turbine from SANY Renewable Energy Co., Ltd. with a hybrid tower structure. The concrete tower section consists of 36 segments with a total height of 130.6 m, while the upper section comprises two segments of steel tower. The hub height reaches 185 m, with a rotor diameter of 220 m, and the operator cab weighs 93 t.

When asked why a crawler crane was chosen, Zhang Jianfu, General Manager of Shanxi Jixin Hoisting Engineering Co., Ltd., explained, “At this height, only 4000-ton all-terrain cranes or 18000 t·m crawler cranes are up to the task. Right now, 4000-ton all-terrain cranes are in short supply and more expensive to rent. Moreover, this is the first 185-meter mountain wind power project. Unlike the plains, mountain wind conditions change rapidly. Crawler cranes have a natural advantage in wind resistance. This 18000 t·m crane we’re using has an impressive lifting capacity. With the 198+9 superlift wind power configuration (HJHEDB_ZCK), the load capacity is 198 t with a safety margin of nearly 40%—extremely secure.”

“Although crawler cranes involve more components for assembly, with good planning, the setup can still be very efficient. We designed the layout of the site and the transport flow, so that each trailer could unload and assemble immediately without causing congestion. It only took us about 90 hours to fully assemble the crane, which is quite fast for a mountainous wind power site. The crawler cranes designed by SANY features a very user-friendly design. For example, the walkways on the boom are made of widened aluminum alloy with safety ropes—greatly enhancing worker safety during aerial assembly. Additionally, the precision of the pin holes is high, making pin installation smoother and more efficient for our crew.”

At 13:29, the operator cab was gently lifted from the ground. After 29 minutes and 47 seconds, it was securely positioned atop the tower segment and began flange connection, marking a new milestone for mountain wind power projects in China.

Zhang Jianfu concluded proudly, “The successful completion of this project is another testament to our professional capabilities. New energy construction is a national priority for the future. We hope to contribute through top-tier equipment, technology, and service—seizing the opportunities of the times and growing our enterprise alongside national development.”