World's tallest transmission towers linked across Yangtze River

NANJING, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Two power-transmission towers measuring 385 meters high each, the tallest of their kind in the world, were linked with electricity cables spanning the Yangtze River on Monday.

As part of a 500-kV power-transmission project, 24 cables weighing about 410 tonnes and stretching for more than 2.5 km were installed between the towers above the busiest waterway in China, according to the State Grid Jiangsu Electric Power Co., Ltd.

"The workers were just like 'Spider-Man' as they walked 330 meters above the river to install the wires," said Wang Zhangxuan, deputy project manager at the company, adding that unmanned drones and robotics were also used during the wiring process.

The power-transmission project is expected to be put into operation next year. Once operational, it will transmit 28.9 billion kilowatt-hours of renewable energy from the north of the Yangtze to the south, aiming to supply electricity for 8 million households.