China plans 15 new ultra-high-voltage lines to 2030 as power demand passes 10,000TWh
The UHV programme aims to lift cross-provincial transfer capacity ~35% and move renewable power east, even as curtailment persists in the resource-rich west
Summary
China surpassed 10,000TWh of annual Electricity consumption in 2025, with demand projected to grow 8-9% a year through 2030. To move power from renewable-rich western and northern provinces to eastern load centres, Beijing plans to commission 15 new ultra-high-voltage (UHV) transmission lines between 2026 and 2030, raising cross-provincial transfer capacity by about 35% and enabling roughly 200GWh/year of additional renewable connection. Renewables were ~59% of installed capacity by mid-2025 but a smaller share of actual generation (~38% low-carbon in 2024) because coal still runs more hours and regional curtailment persists where the grid cannot absorb wind and solar.
By the numbers
- 10,000+ TWh, China's 2025 electricity consumption (a global first).
- 8-9%, projected annual demand growth to 2030.
- 15, new UHV lines planned, 2026-2030.
- ~35%, targeted increase in cross-provincial transfer capacity.
- ~59% / ~38%, renewables' share of capacity vs actual low-carbon generation.
Why it matters
China's curtailment gap, clean capacity built faster than the grid can carry it, is the core problem UHV is meant to solve. Whether transmission keeps pace decides how much of the world's largest renewable fleet actually displaces coal, with global emissions implications.
What to watch
- Which UHV corridors break ground first and their commissioning dates.
- 2026 curtailment rates in Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Qinghai.
- Whether coal capacity additions slow as transfer capacity rises.