The 5 trillion yuan investment in power grid during the 15th Five Year Plan period is ready to go, and China will initially establish a new type of power grid b

Beyond the main power grid, flexible and adaptable distribution networks and distributed intelligent microgrids are becoming the robust terminals of the large power grid. Currently, China's average power supply reliability rate stands at 99.948%. During the "14th Five Year Plan" period, the total investment in China's power grid is expected to exceed 5 trillion yuan, which will be used to upgrade the ultra-high-voltage power "expressway", transform the "last mile" of urban and rural distribution networks, and develop the digital and intelligent "brain" of the power grid. A new type of power grid, which is becoming increasingly dense, is accelerating the establishment of a robust power supply system.
During the "15th Five Year Plan" period, where will the focus of China's new power grid construction lie, and what construction goals will be achieved? Let's take a look at authoritative interpretations.
The National Energy Administration stated that during the "14th Five Year Plan" period, a number of new transmission channels and inter provincial power mutual assistance projects will be planned and constructed, a batch of urban distribution network quality improvement and renewal projects will be implemented, and a number of projects for the transformation of single-channel weak county power grids and the treatment of frequent power outages in rural power grids will be carried out to narrow the gap between urban and rural power supply.
Hao Yingjie, Secretary General of the China Electricity Council, introduced that according to preliminary forecasts, the annual average investment in power grid projects over the next five years will reach 1 trillion yuan, far exceeding the average annual level of 553.6 billion yuan during the 14th Five Year Plan period. For example, the Gansu Zhejiang UHV DC project, with a total investment of over 35 billion yuan, can drive upstream and downstream investments in the industrial chain exceeding 80 billion yuan, covering hundreds of enterprises in equipment manufacturing, survey and design, construction and installation, and providing more than 24,000 jobs, yielding significant economic and social benefits.
In 2025, China's total electricity consumption exceeded 10 trillion kWh for the first time, ranking first globally. Behind this massive electricity consumption lies a safe, stable, and efficient power supply from a nationwide interconnected grid. During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the total investment in China's power grid is expected to exceed 5 trillion yuan, primarily allocated for the construction of a new power system. Next, let's explore this rapidly emerging new power grid through a set of data.
In China, nearly 4 kWh out of every 10 kWh of electricity consumed comes from green energy sources. Behind this continuous supply of green electricity lies the strong support of the world's largest renewable energy system. By the end of 2025, the installed capacity of renewable energy in China had accounted for about 60% of the total.
As electric energy is upgraded, transmission channels and technologies are also being updated simultaneously. Relying on the UHV "electricity highway", electricity from Xinjiang can be "flash delivered" to Anhui across 3,300 kilometers in just 0.01 seconds. This "energy artery" spanning mountains and rivers can deliver more than 60 billion kWh of electricity to East China every year. During the "15th Five Year Plan" period, China's "West East Electricity Transmission" capacity will reach over 420 million kilowatts, ensuring efficient and smooth power transmission.
According to the "Guiding Opinions on Promoting High quality Development of the Power Grid", China will advance the construction of a new power grid platform, with the main grid and distribution grid as the important foundation and smart microgrid as a beneficial supplement. It is expected to be initially established by 2030.
Hao Yingjie stated that as a crucial component in building a new power system, the new grid should actively explore new architectures, technologies, and services, fully leverage artificial intelligence to empower the digital and intelligent transformation of the grid, and enhance system coordination and regulation capabilities.
Tan Hongjiang, Deputy Director of the Electricity Department of the National Energy Administration, stated that currently, the implementation plan for the construction of a new type of power grid in the 15th Five Year Plan period is being studied and formulated, with the aim of initially establishing a new type of power grid with strong network foundation, strong system coordination, strong regulation capability, and strong service guarantee by 2030.