The project to expand electrical power exports from the Russian Federation to the People’s Republic of China is being carried out in the framework of strategic cooperation between the two countries in the electric power industry. The goal of the project is a stage-by-stage increase in electricity supplies to Chinese consumers in line an adjusted plan agreed by the Parties.
The project comprises several elements, from deliveries of surplus electrical energy from the Amur Region to border areas of China, to construction of new power generation facilities (primarily, coal-fired thermal power plants at coal field in the Russian Far East) with a total capacity of up to 10,800 MW, as well as the installation of AC and DC transmission lines with a total length of 3,400 km in Russia and China.
The supply of electrical power to China is based on demand from China and the capacities of the Russian energy system. The transmission lines currently have the capacity to deliver up to 6-7 billion kilowatt-hours of electrical power per year. A potential decline in exports to China is expected in 2018 due to growth in domestic consumption and decommissioning of old thermal power stations.
The potential shortage of available electrical power in the region means that it is essential to build new power generation facilities and grid infrastructure.
In terms of project implementation, Inter RAO Group and the State Grid Corporation of China are considering various integrated project options, including development of coal mines in the Russian Far East and Siberia, construction of power thermal stations and inter-state extra-high-voltage and ultra-high voltage transmission lines.