Breaking through 4 billion kilowatts! Understanding China's Electric Power Potential through Quadruple Upgrades
According to data recently released by the National Energy Administration, as of the end of May, the total installed capacity of power generation nationwide had exceeded 4 billion kilowatts, marking a new milestone in China's power supply capacity.With a capacity of 4 billion kilowatts, it is approximately 1.7 times the combined installed capacity of the European Union and the United States, accounting for nearly 30% of the global total installed capacity. This 4 billion kilowatts represents a significant achievement by generations of power workers, a profound green transformation in the energy structure, and a solid testament to industrial upgrading and a comprehensive leap in energy self-sufficiency. China's installed power generation capacity has surpassed 4 billion kilowatts, which is 1.8 times that at the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, making China the first country in the world to reach this milestone. This substantial "family fortune" of 4 billion kilowatts provides strong support for high-quality economic and social development, bolstering our confidence in energy. In terms of growth rate, the time required for China's installed power generation capacity to increase by 1 billion kilowatts has been continuously shortened. It took 8 years to increase from 1 billion kilowatts to 2 billion kilowatts, 4 years and 4 months to increase from 2 billion kilowatts to 3 billion kilowatts, and less than 2 years to increase from 3 billion kilowatts to 4 billion kilowatts.
Structural upgrading: The installed capacity of non-fossil energy accounts for over 60%While China's total installed capacity of power generation has surpassed 4 billion kilowatts, its energy supply has become greener. Currently, the installed capacity of non-fossil energy accounts for over 60% of the total installed capacity. It is understood that after the project reaches full capacity, it will be able to meet the annual electricity demand of 625,000 households in Hainan, further satisfying the growing demand for green electricity in the construction of Hainan Free Trade Port. Since the beginning of this year, a number of major energy projects such as offshore wind power bases, nuclear power bases, and Shagouhuang new energy bases have been accelerated. By the end of May, the installed capacity of non-fossil energy power generation had reached 2.49 billion kilowatts, accounting for 62% of the total installed capacity, an increase of about 30 percentage points compared to 2012. Since the implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan, China's installed capacity of wind power and photovoltaic power has increased by 2.4 times.
Technological upgrading: Hardcore technology lays a solid foundation for electric power
The "stronger" and "greener" power supply capability is inseparable from continuous technological innovation.Currently, China's new energy patents account for over 40% of the global total, and world records are continuously being set in areas such as photovoltaic conversion efficiency and offshore wind turbine capacity. The installed capacity of new energy storage has grown rapidly, reaching 136 million kilowatts, firmly ranking first in the world. The accelerated application of "AI+Energy" and the implementation and promotion of a series of large-scale power models, such as Guangming and Dawat, have marked a historic leap for China's power technology from following and keeping pace to leading comprehensively. Ultra-high voltage (UHV) transmission has become the main artery connecting green energy supply and demand. A series of world-leading UHV projects, such as the ±1100 KV UHV DC transmission project from Zhundong to southern Anhui and the ±800 KV UHV DC transmission project from Baihetan to Zhejiang, have been successively put into operation. These "power highways" connect energy bases with load centers, contributing to economic development and "adding green". Advanced energy storage has made "weather-dependent" green electricity "obedient". In the Kubuqi Desert of Dalad Banner, Erdos, Inner Mongolia, the 1100-mu Gushanliang Energy Storage Power Station was put into operation in December 2025. Its full-power discharge can meet the continuous electricity demand of over 3 million households for 4 hours. Advanced nuclear energy continues to iterate, providing a stable and reliable clean base load for the new power system. In Rongcheng, Shandong, the Huaneng Shidao Bay Nuclear Power Project has commenced commercial power generation. Relying on its inherent safety features, it eliminates concerns about nuclear power safety and provides continuous and stable clean electricity to the grid. From breakthroughs in new-generation wind and solar power generation technology to the large-scale application of advanced energy storage, and to diversified layouts such as green hydrogen and ammonia, as well as advanced nuclear energy, an energy technology revolution towards a zero-carbon future is accelerating.
Industrial upgrading: surging green energy boosts high-quality economic development
The large-scale, low-cost supply of green electricity has also injected tremendous momentum into industrial upgrading. The new potential energy brought by the 4 billion kilowatts of installed capacity has precisely landed on the brand-new track of computing and electricity synergy. In the increasingly fierce global technological competition, the underlying support of computing power is energy. The 4 billion kilowatts of installed capacity marks a leap in the "quantity" of China's energy scale, and it also reflects the profound qualitative change in China's economic green transformation and kinetic energy conversion. Standing at a new starting point, smart energy empowers industrial upgrading, and a more resilient and internationally competitive modern development landscape is gradually unfolding.
