The strategic blueprint for the 15th Five-Year Plan outlines a deep implementation of the new energy security strategy, aiming to accelerate the construction of a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient new energy system to build a robust energy nation. In this inaugural year of the plan, Sichuan is expanding its clean energy development scale, accelerating the construction of a modernized power grid, and promoting the local consumption of clean energy to solidify its status as a leading clean energy province.
Upstream on the Jinsha River, the Yebatan Hydropower Station, China's highest-altitude double-curvature arch dam currently under construction, is being rapidly built with the goal of achieving full-capacity operation by the end of the year. Further downstream, the Huadian Batang 1.2 million kilowatt photovoltaic power station, which commenced operations this year, generates approximately 5.53 million kilowatt-hours of green electricity daily. Through such integrated development, the river basin will achieve complementary scheduling between hydro and solar power in the future.
He Funong, deputy general manager of Huadian Jinsha River Upstream Hydropower Development Co., Ltd. Yebatan Branch, explained that solar power peaks during the day and drops to a trough at night. By coordinating with hydroelectric stations like Yebatan, hydropower can flexibly adjust to smooth out the fluctuating green energy before transmission, significantly enhancing power supply stability. As a major clean energy base, Sichuan's installed hydropower capacity exceeds 100 million kilowatts, ranking first nationally. However, the uneven distribution of wind and solar resources has limited resource coordination efficiency.
Since the beginning of this year, Sichuan has accelerated the construction of integrated water-wind-solar bases in the Yalong River, upper Jinsha River, and Dadu River basins, achieving coordinated development of hydro, wind, solar, storage, and hydrogen. He Maorong, director of the New Energy and Renewable Energy Division of the Sichuan Provincial Energy Administration, noted this approach drives the intensive and large-scale development of new energy, transforming resource advantages into green power supply advantages and fostering the linked development of computing power and electricity industries.
With the accelerated construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle and the flourishing growth of emerging industries, Sichuan's power supply has evolved from a one-way output warehouse to a multi-directional resource pool and energy hub. This year, the province has introduced policies encouraging large users such as data centers and green hydrogen producers to purchase electricity directly from new energy companies, facilitating greater local consumption and conversion of clean energy. Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period, Sichuan aims to build a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient new energy system, targeting more than 110 million kilowatts of hydropower and 100 million kilowatts of new energy installed capacity by 2030, along with over 10 million kilowatts of new energy storage projects to meet electricity demand exceeding 590 billion kilowatt-hours.
Yu Long, deputy director of the Sichuan Provincial Energy Administration, stated that the province will implement a dual-project initiative for hydropower and new energy, increase effective policy support such as direct green power connections, strengthen the deep integration of technological and industrial innovation, and vigorously promote the mutual empowerment of artificial intelligence and energy to further enhance the competitive advantage of the energy industry.