CHENGDU, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- A pilot project under a new energy initiative in the upper reaches of the Jinsha River was successfully connected to the grid on Tuesday.
The Batang photovoltaic power project -- developed by China Huadian Corporation Ltd., a major state-owned energy producer -- boasts a capacity of 1.2 million kilowatts. The project is a key component of China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025).
Situated at altitudes of 4,000 to 5,100 meters in Batang County of the Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Sichuan Province, the project spans an area of approximately 25,000 mu (1,666.7 hectares) and consists of 2.17 million photovoltaic modules. Key infrastructure includes 122 kilometers of transmission lines and two 220-kilovolt intelligent booster stations.
Throughout its construction, the project overcame several technical challenges, including the impact of high-altitude conditions, ice, earthquakes, and the stability of frozen soil foundations. These successes have contributed valuable insights for the development of large-scale photovoltaic projects in plateau regions.
As an important part of the clean energy base along the upper reaches of the Jinsha River, the project created more than 2,000 jobs for local residents during its construction, striking a balance between project building, ecological conservation and people's livelihoods.
Once operational, the project is expected to provide 2.1 billion kilowatt-hours of green electricity to central China annually. This will save approximately 640,000 tonnes of standard coal and cut carbon dioxide emissions by over 1.7 million tonnes. Its contribution will be crucial to ensuring China's energy security, optimizing the national energy mix, fostering coordinated regional development, and supporting the country's goals of achieving a carbon peak and carbon neutrality. ■
