China launches ultra-high-voltage power transmission project

LHASA, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Construction of the Xizang section of the Xizang-Guangdong ultra-high-voltage (UHV) power transmission line was kicked off Tuesday in the city of Qamdo in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. This line will stretch over a distance of 2,681 km to supply the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area with power courtesy of Xizang's vast clean energy capacity.

With a total investment of 53.2 billion yuan (about 7.76 billion U.S. dollars) and a transmission capacity of 10 million kW, this transmission project will serve as a major energy artery linking Xizang and south China's Guangdong via Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The Xizang section is scheduled to achieve power transmission capacity by 2028 and become fully operational in 2029. It will include two UHV transmission lines totaling 301.7 km at elevations ranging from 1,900 meters to 4,800 meters, and two converter stations with capacities of 8 million kW and 5 million kW, respectively.

Once completed, the project is expected to supply 43 billion kWh of clean electricity annually from Xizang to the Greater Bay Area, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 33 million tonnes, according to the State Grid Xizang Electric Power Co., Ltd.

Xizang has become China's rising power generation hub in recent years, propelled by the nation's rapidly evolving clean energy technologies.

By the end of 2025, total installed power capacity in the region, including both completed and under-construction projects, had exceeded 33 million kW, while the installed capacity of completed projects alone had surpassed 13 million kW.

Construction of the Guangdong section of the project started in September 2025.