China announces 80+ GW of new West-to-East electricity transmission capacity under 2030 energy plan

China's National Development and Reform Commission and National Energy Bureau have released a new energy infrastructure plan for 2030 that prioritizes building major transmission corridors to move power from renewable-rich regions to consumption centers. The plan targets over 80 GW of new West-to-East electricity transmission capacity, routing power from wind and solar bases in the "Three North" regions and integrated water/wind/solar projects in the Southwest toward load centers.

Beyond electricity, the plan also optimizes coal distribution networks and expands Xinjiang coal export routes through new corridor layouts. For oil and gas, the government plans to strengthen the "national one-network" backbone, adding 20,000 km of new pipeline infrastructure to reinforce West-to-East gas, Sichuan-to-East gas, North-to-South gas, and offshore gas landing routes.

This infrastructure buildout directly supports China's push to establish renewable-powered data center hubs, particularly in regions with abundant wind and solar generation. The massive new transmission capacity (80+ GW) would enable large-scale deployment of compute clusters tied to green energy sources, reducing both operational costs and carbon exposure for AI and high-performance computing workloads.