China Commissions Xinjiang–Chongqing UHVDC Line to Deliver Over 36 Billion kWh Annually

China has officially launched the ±800 kV Hami–Chongqing ultra-high-voltage direct current (UHVDC) transmission project, marking the first UHVDC line to land in Chongqing.

Original By NLS

China has officially launched the ±800 kV Hami–Chongqing ultra-high-voltage direct current (UHVDC) transmission project, marking the first UHVDC line to land in Chongqing. The project is expected to boost the city’s summer power supply by 4 gigawatts, with capacity reaching 8 gigawatts by the end of the year.

Stretching 2,260 kilometers, the transmission line begins at the Balikun converter station in Hami, Xinjiang, and ends at the Yubei converter station in Chongqing’s Yubei District, passing through Xinjiang, Gansu, Shaanxi, Sichuan, and Chongqing. Electricity generated from Xinjiang’s abundant wind and solar resources can reach Chongqing in just seven milliseconds via this power “expressway.”

As one of China’s first large-scale power transmission projects from its desert-based wind and solar bases, the line is expected to deliver more than 36 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity to Chongqing each year. Over half of this power will come from renewable sources, potentially reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 16.5 million tonnes annually—the equivalent of planting 900 million trees, based on standard carbon absorption rates.

The project is also designed to work in tandem with the 1,000 kV UHV alternating current (UHVAC) line connecting Sichuan and Chongqing, forming a “one AC, one DC” dual-circuit UHV grid. This integrated network of hydropower, coal, wind, and solar will significantly enhance grid reliability and resilience across the Sichuan–Chongqing region. It is expected to provide strong energy support for the high-quality development of the Chengdu–Chongqing Twin-City Economic Circle.