Xinjiang makes sweeping upgrades of power grid

A total of 71.7 billion-yuan ($10.3 billion) has been invested in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region's power grid by State Grid's Xinjiang branch during the period of the country's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20).

Xinjiang has built its fourth power transmission channel with the investment and strengthened the 750 kV ring network by extending the grid to Hotan prefecture in southern Xinjiang and Altay prefecture in the north. The moves make Xinjiang's power grid in the largest in the country.

According to Zhang Feng, assistant director of the branch's development department, said the total investment of 287.7 billion yuan on power in Xinjiang accounted for 12.4 percent of the region's value-added industrial output and contributed 4.56 percent to the economic growth of Xinjiang.

Xinjiang is an important energy base in China, with coal, oil, natural gas, wind energy and solar resources. The region expects to speed up the development of its resources, especially in the construction of coal, electricity, and coal chemical bases. All require a reliable power industry.