China’s top economic planner and energy regulator have issued new rules to guide the orderly development of direct green power supply projects, as the country accelerates its transition to a cleaner energy mix.
Source: Beijing News
China’s top economic planner and energy regulator have issued new rules to guide the orderly development of direct green power supply projects, as the country accelerates its transition to a cleaner energy mix. In a joint notice released on May 30, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the National Energy Administration (NEA) called on provincial authorities to take a more coordinated approach in planning and approving green power direct-supply projects—initiatives that connect renewable energy sources such as wind and solar directly to end users, bypassing the broader power grid.
The notice requires that such projects be fully integrated into provincial-level energy development plans. Installed capacity must be accounted for within official renewable energy targets, and power demand from users must be based on verifiable data.
Infrastructure components—including dedicated transmission lines and connection systems—must be incorporated into local or provincial land use and power planning frameworks based on voltage classification. All projects must comply with existing investment approval and filing requirements.
To minimize risk and land use conflicts, new transmission routes should avoid unnecessary intersections with other infrastructure. If crossings are unavoidable, appropriate safety measures must be implemented.
Project developers are required to submit a comprehensive plan covering generation, consumption, transmission, and grid access. This plan must also include a dedicated section assessing system risks, power reliability, and power quality, along with specific technical solutions.
Most projects should connect at or below 220 kilovolts (or 330 kV where technically justified). Any project requiring a 220/330 kV connection must undergo a system safety risk assessment, to be led by provincial energy authorities in coordination with local NEA branches, grid operators, and project owners, to ensure the safe and stable operation of the power system.
All elements of a project—including generation assets, end users, and transmission lines—must be developed and brought online simultaneously under a unified framework.
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