WEICHAI POWER (02338) surged more than 5% in early trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange, with shares up 5.11% to HK$35.40 as of the time of writing, on a trading volume of HK$174 million.

On the news front, on August 3, the U.S. state of Texas halted new data center grid connections, signaling a significant tightening of grid access channels. This shift is expected to transform off-grid and self-supplied power solutions from backup options to upfront mandatory requirements.

According to China Merchants Securities, the increasing regulatory pressure mandates that data centers must accelerate the development of their own power generation capabilities. Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technology is naturally suited for "off-grid independent power supply" scenarios, and its strategic value has been further elevated.

Notably, WEICHAI POWER recently stated that the company is accelerating its SOFC production capacity expansion, aiming to achieve batch production capacity within this year. It is also planning future capacity in advance, speeding up expansion based on market and industry demand.

CITIC Construction pointed out that WEICHAI POWER's core growth engine has shifted from heavy-duty truck powertrains and complete vehicles to the high-growth AIDC (AI Data Center) power generation business.