Jiangsu data centers drive grid expansion

The rapid establishment of big data centers in the industrial hub of Jiangsu province is driving massive electricity demand, prompting a 582 million yuan ($80 million) new grid investment from 2025 to 2027 to boost power transmission capacity.

State Grid Yangzhou Power Supply Co, the new grid project overseer, said it will construct one 500-kilovolt and three 220-kilovolt power grid projects. These projects will add 1,500 megavolt-amperes of power capacity to support upcoming data centers.

"After the completion of the planned projects, the local big data industrial park will have the capacity for 220-kilovolt power transmission in five directions, supporting the power supply requirements of seven 220-kilovolt and one 110-kilovolt substations in the park," said Wan Qian, a staff member of State Grid Yangzhou Power Supply Co.

The power supply company has actively sought support from local governments in site selection and route planning for power grid construction, meeting data centers' high-reliability power supply demands.

Currently, three top power users in the big data industrial park have a combined power consumption capacity of 520 megavolt-amperes. Meanwhile, companies like Tencent, China Mobile and China Telecom have requested power transmission capacity expansion. State Grid Yangzhou Power Supply Co said power demand from tech companies will continue to increase.