First tower foundation poured on Guangxi section of Tibet-Guangdong UHVDC line

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

Workers in Nanning poured the first tower foundation for the Guangxi section of the Tibet-Guangdong ultra-high-voltage direct current (UHVDC) line on October 16. The milestone puts the line's 678 km middle section into active construction, bringing all four provincial segments of the 2,681 km corridor under way.

The project is the largest flexible UHVDC transmission line ever built, with about 530 billion yuan approved for investment. When it comes online in 2029, it will deliver over 43 billion kWh of clean power annually to the Greater Bay Area. That's roughly half of what the Three Gorges Dam generates in a year.

Why it matters

A single 2,681 km line will carry 10 GW of clean power from Tibet's plateau to Guangdong's factories — the largest renewable transmission project ever built.

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Key Indicators

2,681 km

Total line length

Crosses Tibet, Yunnan, Guangxi and Guangdong

10 GW

Rated transmission capacity

Four-terminal flexible UHVDC system, a world first

530 billion yuan

Approved investment

Largest UHV project investment in China

43 billion kWh/year

Annual clean energy delivery

Targeted delivery to the Greater Bay Area once operational

33 million tonnes/year

Expected CO2 reduction

Annual emissions savings once fully operational

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

Ever wondered what historical figures would say about today's headlines?

People Involved

Huang Yu

Deputy Manager, Major Project First Owner Project Department, CSG EHV Transmission Company

Overseeing construction of the Guangxi section

Jiang Xu

Assistant Manager, Second On-site Owner Project Department, Guangzhou Bureau, CSG EHV Transmission Company

Overseeing mechanized construction of the Guangdong section

Organizations Involved

China Southern Power Grid

State-owned power grid operator

Primary construction management entity for the Tibet-Guangdong line

CSG operates the power grid for Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou and Hainan — five southern Chinese provinces.

State Grid Corporation of China

State-owned electric utility

Joint constructor of the Tibet-Guangdong line

State Grid operates China's largest power grid, covering most of the country outside CSG's southern territory.

China Energy Engineering Group (中国能建)

State-owned engineering and construction company

Design and construction contractor

CEEC subsidiaries handle survey, design and construction of portions of the Tibet-Guangdong line.

Timeline

January 2026 2029

6 events Latest: Today

Tap a bar to jump to that date

2029
Planned full-line completion and commissioning
Upcoming Construction

The Tibet-Guangdong line is scheduled to begin commercial operation in 2029, delivering up to 10 GW of clean power to the Greater Bay Area.
2029
December 2026
Line sections expected to enter tower assembly
Upcoming Construction

Project officials say some line sections will transition from foundation work to tower assembly by the end of 2026.
December 2026
October 2026
First tower foundation poured on Guangxi section
Today Construction

Crews in Nanning began pouring the Guangxi section's first tower foundation, accelerating construction across the line's 678 km middle segment through karst terrain.
Today
Yunnan section enters full construction
Construction

The Yunnan 14 section opened in Guangnan County with first-tower pilot activities, putting the line's entire Yunnan segment into active construction.
October 2026
June 2026
Guangdong section completes first tower foundation pour
Construction

The global first four-terminal UHVDC project finished its first tower foundation concrete pour in Guangdong, piloting fully mechanized green construction methods.
June 23rd, 2026
January 2026
Full-line groundbreaking ceremony held in Guangdong
Construction

The project's steady-growth and investment mobilization conference and first foundation excavation were held in Boluo County, Guangdong, marking the line's formal entry into construction.
January 20th, 2026

Scenarios

Tibet-Guangdong UHVDC line begins commercial operation in 2029

Likely Resolves by End of 2029

Discussed by: China Southern Power Grid project officials; Xinhua reporting

All four provincial sections maintain construction momentum through 2028. Tower assembly begins as scheduled in late 2026, conductor stringing proceeds through 2027 and 2028, and system testing starts in 2029 with full commercial operation announced by year end.

Terrain and logistics push Tibet-Guangdong line completion past 2030

Possible Resolves by End of 2029

Discussed by: Engineering analysts following UHV construction challenges

The Tibetan plateau section's 4,000m-plus altitude, permafrost, earthquake fault zones and 37 km uninhabited stretch prove harder than planned. Construction weather windows at high altitude run only a few months per year, and material transport through the uninhabited zone adds delay. Guangxi's karst caves could also slow tower placement.

Phased commissioning: some Tibet-Guangdong segments activate before the full route

Uncertain Resolves by End of 2029

Discussed by: Energy sector analysts studying multi-terminal UHVDC operations

The four-terminal design allows intelligent scheduling between two power source terminals (Changdu, Linzhi) and two load terminals (Guangzhou, Shenzhen). If the Tibet section lags but eastern sections are ready, operators could run a partial configuration, delivering power before the full line is complete.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2000-present

West-East Power Transmission Program (2000)

China launched a national program to move electricity from resource-rich western provinces to coastal industrial centers. The initiative has driven construction of dozens of high-voltage corridors over 25 years and become the country's core mechanism for balancing regional energy supply and demand.

Then

First corridors in the early 2000s carried hydro and thermal power to Guangdong and Shanghai, easing chronic power shortages in coastal industrial cities.

Now

The program expanded from alternating current to ultra-high-voltage DC lines. The Tibet-Guangdong line is its most ambitious project to date, carrying 100% clean energy rather than coal power.

Why this matters now

Tibet-Guangdong is the next step in a 26-year strategy: push the distance and altitude limits of what China's grid can do.

2007-2010

Xiangjiaba-Shanghai ±800kV UHVDC (2010)

China built the world's first ±800kV ultra-high-voltage DC line from the Xiangjiaba hydropower station on the Jinsha River to Shanghai, a route of roughly 2,000 km. It proved electricity could be moved efficiently across the country's vast distances.

Then

The line entered commercial operation in 2010, delivering hydropower from the Jinsha River system to the Yangtze River Delta.

Now

It validated UHVDC technology for China's grid expansion and spawned a generation of similar projects across the country.

Why this matters now

Tibet-Guangdong follows the same cross-country transmission playbook but adds harder problems: four flexible DC terminals, higher altitude, and a 37 km uninhabited crossing.