NW China's Xinjiang becomes major power contributor

Photo taken on June 17, 2020 shows a power project in Nilka County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region transmitted 300 billion kWh of electricity outside the region over a decade, said the State Grid's Xinjiang branch Saturday. The electricity transmission helped China's central and eastern regions reduce about 96 million tonnes of coal use, and cut carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide emissions by 259.2 million tonnes and 816,000 tonnes, respectively. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

URUMQI, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region transmitted 300 billion kWh of electricity outside the region over a decade, said the State Grid's Xinjiang branch Saturday.

The electricity transmission helped China's central and eastern regions reduce about 96 million tonnes of coal use, and cut carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide emissions by 259.2 million tonnes and 816,000 tonnes, respectively.

According to the company, the continuous expansion of electricity transmission is due to improvements in several key power projects extending from Xinjiang to the eastern provinces.

In addition, the region signed deals with several provincial-level administrations, further fueling the surge, the company said.

According to the Xinjiang Electricity Trading Center, Xinjiang currently transmits electricity to 19 other Chinese regions, many of which buy electricity from Xinjiang as a form of economic support to the region.

Xinjiang is rich in coal and wind power. To date, the installed power capacity of Xinjiang is 92.432 million kilowatts, and the installed capacity of new energy is among the top in China. Enditem