China-Laos power interconnection project marks historic breakthrough

The China-Laos 500-kV power interconnection project officially commenced operation on Monday, marking a historic breakthrough as overseas new-energy electricity participated in the China Southern Power Grid's regional market for the first time.

The milestone was inaugurated with the delivery of 4.81 million kilowatt-hours of electricity from a clean energy base in northern Laos to Southwest China's Yunnan province.

The move signals a transition toward a more standardized and institutionalized phase of power interconnectivity between the two neighboring nations, the company said.

The cross-border transaction involved power generated by Laos' first large-scale mountainous photovoltaic project. As a core supporting energy source for the 500-kV interconnection line, the solar facility has an average annual generating capacity of about 1.65 billion kWh.

The project is expected to transmit roughly 1.1 billion kWh of solar-generated electricity to China this year, further optimizing the complementary energy profiles of both countries.

As China's primary energy resources and major power loads are geographically separated, the cross-regional and cross-border optimization of power allocation is of significant strategic importance.

Looking ahead, China Southern Power Grid said it will normalize cross-border electricity trading as a standard practice. By pursuing higher-voltage interconnections and expanding the scale of regional power trade, the company aims to deepen energy synergy and provide high-quality support for the regional green transition.