NHI's "Tiangong Hao" Breaks Ground: China's First 700-Meter-Class Intelligent Shaft Excavation Equipment Officially Launched

On September 19, 2025, inside the No. 1 water diversion shaft of the Songyang Pumped Storage Power Station in Zhejiang Province, the roar of machinery broke the silence as China's independently developed 700-meter-class ultra-deep shaft intelligent operation complete set of equipment — "Tiangong Hao" — officially started rock breaking.

Led by China Three Gorges Construction Engineering Corporation, this equipment was jointly developed with several units including Northern Heavy Industry Group Co., Ltd. As a core developer of "Tiangong Hao", Northern Heavy Industry has become a key force in ensuring the successful launch, relying on its solid technical accumulation and efficient on-site services.

Its successful launch marks a major technological breakthrough for China in the field of intelligent construction of ultra-deep shafts, and also accelerates the construction of the deepest shaft project in China.

"Tiangong Hao" can be called a giant in the field of underground engineering. With an overall height of 37.7 meters — equivalent to the height of more than a dozen floors — and a total weight exceeding 480 tons, its massive structure demonstrates immense power. Its cutterhead can flexibly adjust its diameter within the range of 6.94 to 7.94 meters, breaking the limitation of fixed dimensions of traditional tunnel boring machines. It also supports in-shaft tool change, greatly reducing the risk of tool replacement.

During the R&D of "Tiangong Hao", the team faced numerous technical challenges. One such challenge was the control of cutterhead diameter adjustment: achieving flexible diameter variation between 6.94 and 7.94 meters was extremely difficult, requiring not only precise mechanical design but also sophisticated control systems for coordination. Adaptability to deep surrounding rock was another major challenge, as different geological conditions imposed extremely high requirements on the stability and reliability of the equipment. In response to these difficulties, Northern Heavy Industry organized joint research by experts in multiple fields including machinery, electrical engineering, and hydraulics. After hundreds of technical demonstrations and tests, the design scheme was continuously optimized, and key core technologies were finally broken through. This successfully led to the development of a large-scale shaft equipment with intelligent tunneling capabilities, laying a solid foundation for the birth of "Tiangong Hao".

After its commissioning, "Tiangong Hao" is expected to triple the construction efficiency of the shafts at the Zhejiang Songyang Pumped Storage Power Station, or even more. This breakthrough is of extraordinary significance, providing replicable and promotable experience for the intelligent construction of pumped storage power stations in China. From equipment selection and technical application to construction process management, it offers a detailed reference template for subsequent similar projects.

In the global field of major energy technology and equipment, "Tiangong Hao" has also significantly enhanced China's competitiveness, demonstrating the strength in high-end equipment manufacturing. It allows the world to witness China's outstanding achievements in technological innovation for energy construction, helping China gain more discourse power in the international energy market.