China has built a world-class power supply service network that connects the entire region
The "China Power Supply Development Report 2026" (hereinafter referred to as the "Report") recently released by the National Energy Administration shows that China has built the world's largest power supply system, forming a world-class giant power supply service network covering urban and rural areas and connecting the whole region. By 2025, the total electricity consumption in China will exceed 10 trillion kilowatt hours for the first time, serving the largest number of electricity users in the world, and the power supply level will enter the international advanced level.
Behind the numbers lies the leapfrog development achieved by China, as the world's largest electricity consumer, in areas such as power supply capacity, business environment, green transformation, and people's livelihood security. At present, China has achieved the transition from "using electricity" to "using electricity well", from "manual running" to "digital intelligence", from "fossil based" to "green electricity first", and injected surging momentum into the high-quality development of the economy and society with a strong and reliable power supply system.
The power supply system has made a leap from quantity to quality
The total electricity consumption of the whole society has exceeded 10 trillion kilowatt hours, reflecting the large scale and strong resilience of China's power industry, which cannot be separated from the modern power grid system.
The 'skeleton' of the power grid is becoming increasingly strong. By 2025, the investment in the national power grid will reach 639.5 billion yuan, of which more than half of the funds will be invested in the distribution network. The total length of 220 kV and above transmission lines in China will exceed 1 million kilometers. With the operation of Longdong Shandong, Hami Chongqing, Jinshang Hubei and other UHV projects, and Xizang's entry into the UHV era, the "24 DC, 21 AC" UHV transmission channels run from east to west and from north to south, realizing the smooth and efficient allocation of power resources across the country.
The report shows that by 2025, the cross provincial transmission of electricity in China will reach 2123.7 billion kilowatt hours, a year-on-year increase of 6.3%; The cross regional transmission of electricity reached 998.4 billion kilowatt hours, a year-on-year increase of 7.9%. Preliminary statistics show that the total length of 10kV to 110kV distribution lines in China exceeds 9 million kilometers, equivalent to more than 220 circles around the equator. The power supply guarantee capacity and comprehensive carrying capacity continue to increase.
This is not only an extension of the physical network, but also a reshaping of the system's resilience, "a person in charge of the Market Supervision Department of the National Energy Administration told a reporter from China Energy News. Faced with multiple rounds of extreme weather tests, the power system has shown amazing resilience. By 2025, there will be no power outages or restrictions nationwide, and the average power outage time per household in core cities such as Beijing and Shanghai will be reduced to less than 1 hour. This is due to the comprehensive implementation of distribution automation and "self-healing" power grid construction, as well as the promotion of the "whole line and patch" governance model. The number of frequent power outage complaints has decreased by over 70% compared to before the governance, highlighting the fundamental improvement of users' electricity experience.
The structural changes on the supply side are also noteworthy. Based on a installed capacity of over 4 billion kilowatts, China's renewable energy generation accounts for 38.5% of the total, with nearly 4 out of every 10 kilowatt hours coming from green electricity. The deepening of the green background not only responds to the "dual carbon" goal, but also marks the transformation of China's power supply from relying on fossil fuels as a "hard support" to a "new driving force" of green and low-carbon, laying a solid foundation for building a new energy system.
From cumbersome electricity management to 'fingertip connectivity'
According to the report, by 2025, with the deepening of the new round of "access to electricity" reform, China will not only achieve full coverage of "three zero" and "three provinces" services, but also expand "three zero" services to various private economic organizations with a telegraph installed capacity of 160 kilowatts or less, saving users over 40 billion yuan in electricity investment for the whole year. At the same time, various regions have raised the upper limit standard for low-voltage access capacity according to local conditions. 44 cities across the country have raised the standard to 200 kilowatts, Beijing, Shanghai, and Jiangsu have achieved full coverage at the provincial and municipal levels, and Shenzhen has raised it to 320 kilowatts. The exploration and implementation of the "full low-voltage power supply" model for industrial and commercial users in the Hengqin Guangdong Macao Deep Cooperation Zone has saved users over 300 million yuan in investment.
The 'subtraction' results in the 'addition' of the vitality of the operating entity. For small and micro enterprises, the increase in the upper limit of low-voltage access capacity means a substantial reduction in the threshold for entrepreneurship. Chongqing has launched the "Three Zero Electricity Package" for small and medium-sized enterprises, focusing on seven major industries including catering, fruits and vegetables, and animal husbandry. By using big data to fit the electricity capacity calculation formulas of each industry, the electricity capacity is accurately determined based on factors such as operating area, production equipment, and production scale. 27 "Typical Industry Electricity Packages" have been launched, allowing small and medium-sized enterprises to "follow the map" and scientifically determine the electricity capacity and the most optimal production equipment based on their own investment capabilities, development plans, and industry status.
The service transformation is not only about reducing costs, but also about reshaping efficiency. "The person in charge introduced that relying on the construction of digital government and the application of power big model technology, the online processing rate of power supply business has exceeded 97%, AI assisted generation of power supply solutions has exceeded 2 million, and" face recognition for power supply "and" one certificate for power supply "have become the norm.
In terms of major project support, "electric and other enterprises" have become the new normal. By interconnecting the electricity business system with the government project approval system, power supply enterprises can obtain information in advance, establish a "project leader" responsibility system, and open a green channel. By 2025, a total of 14900 major projects will enjoy this "nanny style" service, achieving early commencement and production. At the same time, the implementation of "one thing" reforms such as the joint application and installation of water, electricity, and power grids, and the transfer of real estate and power supply, has broken down industry barriers and enabled public services to move from "fragmentation" to "integration", significantly improving the overall efficiency of government services.
Electric power weaving dense livelihood security network
The focus of power development is to meet people's aspirations for a better life. By 2025, the number of electricity users in China will reach 783 million, with the vast majority being residential users. How to ensure that this large user group, especially those in rural and remote areas, can equally enjoy the dividends of power development is an important dimension of the development of the power industry.
The livelihood electricity security network is being tightly woven. By 2025, promote the conversion of 17000 non grid direct power supply communities to grid enterprise direct power supply, benefiting 7.8 million users. Promote the construction of power supply facilities in new residential areas according to the "one household, one meter" standard, and power supply enterprises carry out asset reception and operation and maintenance management of power supply and distribution facilities in residential areas that meet the conditions. Nine provinces (cities, districts) have achieved zero cases of temporary electricity substitution for formal electricity use in residential communities ("temporary substitution" communities). Last year, China deepened the implementation of the rural power grid consolidation and upgrading project, allocating 5 billion yuan in central budget investment throughout the year, driving the completion of investment in rural power grids exceeding 160 billion yuan.
Reliable power supply helps stabilize and enrich the border. The report shows that Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has carried out remote rural and pastoral households' electrification projects and new energy electrification upgrade projects, and has completed the transformation of new energy power supply systems for 21514 households, promoting the extension of reliable electricity to the depths of grasslands. Yunnan continues to strengthen the construction of the distribution network framework in the Awashan area, with a regional medium voltage line connection rate and transfer rate of 100%. The average power outage duration in 2025 will decrease by 77.7% compared to 2021. The 750 kV ultra-high voltage ring network project around the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang was closed to provide power support for the desert lock-in project. Xizang's large power grid has been extended to front-line villages and towns on the border to help Xizang strengthen and prosper its borders and enrich Tibet.
