This year, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region plans to invest 63.3 billion RMB ($9.2 billion) in the construction of power infrastructure. The region will also spend 45.7 billion RMB ($6.6 billion) and 17.6 billion RMB ($2.6 billion) on thermal power projects and power grid projects respectively, Economic Information Daily reported on April 24.
The thermal power projects, with an investment totaling 50 billion RMB ($7.3 billion), will be located primarily in northern and eastern Xinjiang - areas with abundant coal resources.
According to Xinjiang Electric Power Company, the ±1,100 kv high-voltage direct-current transmission project from Changji in Xinjiang to Guquan in Anhui is a key project of 2017. It has a total investment of 2.88 billion RMB ($418.7 million).
In addition, as part of the implementation of the urban power network distribution project, Xinjiang will proceed with a new round of rural power grid upgrades, speed up the construction of a clean-energy heating demonstration project, and promote electric vehicle-charging infrastructure.