At the end of March, in Haining City, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, with the command of the dispatch center, the 220 kV Xucun substation was officially put into operation. This newly added 480000 kVA variable capacitance "power heart" has given the local industry a "reassurance pill" for upgrading. In Shenyang, Liaoning Province, about 2000 kilometers away, the construction site of the 66 kV Wangjiawan power transmission and transformation project is already busy, and workers are building a reliable power track for the 15th National Winter Games in 2026.

These are just two microcosms of the "good start" of State Grid's construction in the first quarter. Across the country, the construction of power grids is advancing at an extraordinary speed, providing a continuous stream of "electric energy blood" for stable economic growth.

Start production and double speed increase

In the first quarter, State Grid Corporation of China delivered a high-quality report card: 393 power grid projects of 110 (66) kV and above were started and 579 were put into operation, an increase of 42% and 24% year-on-year, respectively. This growth rate far exceeds the industry average, indicating that the power grid construction has entered a period of intensive construction.

Behind the numbers lies the investment of real gold and silver. According to statistics, the State Grid completed fixed assets investment of more than 129 billion yuan in the first quarter, up about 37% year on year. This huge investment not only drives the power grid itself, but also drives investment of over 250 billion yuan in the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain. From steel, copper and aluminum to high-end equipment manufacturing, the entire ecological chain is activated by this "electric power".

Hard core infrastructure from desert to arena

Opening the engineering list for the first quarter, the distribution of major projects reflects the two strategic priorities of China's energy and regional development: the energy artery and the livelihood security network.

In the vast Xinjiang, the Hetian Minfeng Qiemo Ruoqiang II circuit 750 kV project has started construction. This nearly 900 kilometer "Electricity Sky Road" crosses the Taklamakan Desert, greatly strengthening the connection between the southern Xinjiang power grid and the main grid, and sending out more "wind and solar" green electricity. At the same time, a number of key projects such as the Chengde Fourth Channel 500 kV Transmission Project and the Zhejiang Qujiang 500 kV Pumped Storage Power Transmission Project have been put into operation, optimizing the "artery" of cross regional resource allocation.

On the urban side, power grid construction is closely linked to major events and industrial demands. The Shenyang Wangjiawan Power Transmission and Transformation Project, as the core supporting facility for the 15th National Winter Games, is planned to be put into operation in October 2026, ensuring the safety of the test and official events. The expansion of the 500 kV Xinduqiao substation in Garze, Sichuan has further strengthened the power transmission capacity in the western Sichuan region.

Escort new quality productivity

The power grid is an important infrastructure supporting Chinese path to modernization, which is related to national energy security. Since the beginning of this year, State Grid Corporation of China has resolutely implemented the national deployment of stabilizing growth and expanding investment, adhering to the principle of "moderately advanced development of electricity".

This' advance 'is not only reflected in scale, but also in structure. In the first quarter, the investment in new energy grid connection projects exceeded 10 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of over 50%. This means that the power grid is accelerating its transition towards green and low-carbon, clearing obstacles for large-scale grid integration of new energy such as photovoltaics and wind power, and providing a fully charged business environment for emerging industries in various regions.

Currently, the power grid project is entering its peak construction period in the second quarter. State Grid Corporation of China stated that it will continue to expand effective investment, strengthen safety and quality control, and "charge" high-quality economic and social development with a stronger power grid.Editor/Yang Meiling