Panzhihua Special High-Voltage AC Project Commences Construction

On March 30, the Panzhi Super High-Voltage AC Transmission Project in the Panxi region officially broke ground and began construction. This is the State Grid’s first start of a super high-voltage AC transmission and transformation project during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period. It will further strengthen the foundation for grid security and reliable power supply, support the construction of a new-type power system, and help drive high-quality development of the Chengdu–Chongqing dual-city economic circle.

The Panzhi Super High-Voltage AC Transmission Project has a total investment of about RMB 23.2 billion. It runs through three cities (prefectures) and 12 counties (districts) in Liangshan, Yibin, and Leshan. It will build two new 1,000 kV substations—Panzhi and southern Sichuan—expand the Tianfu South 1,000 kV substation, and build a new transmission line with a total length of 994 km. The project is expected to be completed and begin commercial operation in 2028. Its estimated maximum annual power transmission volume is about 18.2 billion kWh, equivalent to replacing about 5.88 million tons of standard coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 14.46 million tons.

The photo shows a photovoltaic power station located in Pingdizhen, Panzhihua, Sichuan. (Photo provided by the interviewed organization)

The Panxi region is an important clean energy base in Southwest China and a key sending end for the “West-to-East Power Transmission” initiative. In recent years, the local clean energy installed capacity has already exceeded 50 million kW, and outbound power demand continues to grow. After this project is completed, it will effectively open up the power export corridor and significantly enhance the capability of Panxi’s clean energy to supply power to the Chengdu Plain and load centers in southern Sichuan.

At the same time, after the project goes into operation, it will connect via the Tianfu South substation with the already built Sichuan–Chongqing 1,000 kV ultra-high-voltage AC transmission and transformation project, helping form a power grid layout of “three deliveries and three receptions” between the three major clean energy bases—Garzê, Aba, and Panxi—and the three major load centers—Chengdu Plain, southern Sichuan, and northern Sichuan. This will further improve the grid’s ability to optimize resource allocation and respond to extreme risks. (Reporter Lu Youyi)

(Xinhua News Agency)