Overview
The Longdian-to-Sichuan UHV DC project — sending power from the Badain Jaran Desert base in Gansu to Sichuan — has been approved by the National Development and Reform Commission. It is a key project in the 14th Five-Year Plan and Gansu’s fourth UHV outbound channel after those to Hunan, Shandong and Zhejiang.
The line runs 1,459.7 km from Jinta County, Jiuquan, to Lezhi County, Ziyang, crossing Gansu, Inner Mongolia and Sichuan, with a rated capacity of 8 GW and total investment of 23.65 billion yuan. Supporting generation totals 15 GW, including 11 GW of renewables (4.3 GW wind, 6.7 GW solar), plus 4 GW of peaking coal and 2 GW / 4-hour battery storage.
Background & Interpretation
1. Industry and Policy Context
The project advances the dual-carbon agenda and the large desert-base wind-solar program. As northwest renewable capacity surges, outbound corridors have become the key bottleneck for absorption. Beijing has accelerated UHV approvals to link clean-energy bases with load centers.
2. Core Drivers and Mechanism
By bundling intermittent renewables with peaking coal and long-duration storage, the project secures DC utilization while cushioning renewable volatility at the receiving end. The 4-hour batteries provide intraday peaking and support, improving renewables’ reliable credit output during peak-supply periods.
3. Market Structure and Impact
Once operational, the line connects northwest clean energy with southwest load centers and promotes Gansu-Sichuan complementarity. The UHV equipment, transformers, converter valves, storage systems and PV modules supply chains stand to benefit directly, while large-scale outbound transmission eases local absorption pressure.
Implications & Outlook
Short term, approval marks a breakthrough into detailed design and construction. Medium term, as more desert-base corridors commission, northwest outbound capacity rises systematically. Watch: start-up and commissioning timelines, storage/coal build pace, and Sichuan’s hydro-import coordination.
Takeaways for Industry Participants
Equipment and EPC firms should track UHV and storage tenders; developers should assess absorption security and price expectations once corridors land; investors can study base-plus-corridor power-side revenue stability.
This column compiles industry information and shares technical perspectives; it does not constitute investment advice.