BEIJING, June 10 -- The State Grid Corporation of China has announced the commencement of an ultra-high voltage (UHV) direct current transmission project that will facilitate the transfer of electricity from the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to Chongqing Municipality, situated approximately 2,260 kilometers away.

This groundbreaking ±800 kV UHV project marks the third major initiative to transmit electricity from Xinjiang, a region rich in wind and solar energy, to various parts of the Chinese mainland.

The initiative is expected to deliver over 36 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually to Chongqing, an area characterized by significant energy demand.

Notably, more than half of this electricity will be sourced from renewable energy, which contributes to a reduction of approximately 6 million tonnes of coal consumption and a decrease of about 16 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.

As part of China's west-to-east power transmission program, Xinjiang has emerged as a vital hub for electricity generation.

The project is anticipated to bolster economic development not only in Xinjiang but also in Chongqing, promoting regional coordinated growth and supporting rural revitalization initiatives.

The installed capacity of new energy in Xinjiang's Hami, the starting point of the transmission line, is projected to reach approximately 23 million kilowatts by the end of 2024.

Chongqing, which has a population of around 32 million, confronts a primary energy deficit as it remains the only provincial-level region in western China reliant on energy imports.

The successful implementation of the UHV project is seen as a strategic measure to address these challenges, ensuring that electricity generated in Xinjiang meets the demands of energy-intensive regions.

Historically, Xinjiang has transitioned from being perceived as an economic burden due to its arid and desert-like geography to becoming a significant player in renewable energy production.

Recent data indicates that Xinjiang's total installed power capacity has reached 201 million kilowatts, with 112 million kilowatts, or 55.72 percent, derived from renewable sources.

Despite its expansive generation capacity, Xinjiang faces difficulties in consuming all the energy produced, leading to surplus power that cannot be utilized locally.

UHV transmission projects contribute significantly to mitigating this issue by providing efficient solutions with low transmission losses and high capacity.

Since 2010, Xinjiang has transmitted over 900 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity outside its borders, with renewable energy comprising approximately 30 percent of this volume.

The reach of this electricity supply extends to 22 provincial-level regions across China.

State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power Co., Ltd. indicates that transmitting 100 million kilowatts of photovoltaic power from Xinjiang to eastern and central regions would reduce the necessity for thermal power installations in those areas by 25 million kilowatts.

In alignment with national goals, China aims to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. In 2024, renewable energy sources contributed to 86 percent of newly installed power capacity, and the cumulative installed renewable capacity reached an unprecedented 56 percent of the total national capacity, according to official figures.