On April 20th, China's first 500-kV cross-border alternating-current (AC) power interconnection project — the China-Laos 500-kV Power Interconnection Project — entered commercial operation. This is also the largest-scale and highest-voltage cross-border grid project ever built between China and Laos. From this point forward, the mutual support capacity between China and Laos has been elevated from 50,000 kW to 1.5 million kW, enabling the annual transmission of approximately 3 billion kWh of clean electricity, roughly 30 times the capacity of the previous lines.

Construction of the China-Laos 500-kV Power Interconnection Project commenced on February 26th, 2025. The transmission line spans a total length of 177.5 km, comprising a 145-km Chinese section and a 32.5-km Lao section. The project connects Yunnan Province in southwest China with Oudomxay Province and Luang Namtha Province in northern Laos. Within Lao territory, the project includes the construction of one new 500-kV substation and two 230-kV transmission line circuits connecting to the northern Lao backbone grid, thus helping to forge a unified, integrated power network for Laos.

This year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Laos, as well as the "China-Laos Friendship Year." As a major project incorporated into the Action Plan for Building a China-Laos community with a shared future, the China-Laos 500-kV Power Interconnection Project represents another landmark achievement in deepening practical cooperation between the two countries and in high-quality co-construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, following the China-Laos Railway. In 2026, the project is projected to facilitate the cross-border transmission of approximately 1.1 billion kWh of photovoltaic (PV)-generated electricity, continuously advancing the complementarity of energy resources between China and Laos.

Wang Yi, Senior Manager of the Marketing Department of China Southern Power Grid Co., Ltd. (CSG), noted that CSG is leveraging the "hard connectivity" of the China-Laos 500-kV interconnection corridor alongside the "soft connectivity" of market mechanisms to drive the consumption of clean energy from both countries through market-based means. This effectively activates the resource allocation efficiency of the Southern China power market and helps realize regular mutual power exchange between China and Laos.

我国首个500千伏跨境交流联网工程投产

4月20日，我国首个500千伏跨境交流联网工程——中老500千伏联网工程投产，这也是中老两国建设规模最大、电压等级最高的跨境电网工程。自此，中老电力互济能力从5万千瓦提升至150万千瓦，每年可输送清洁电能约30亿千瓦时，是原有线路的30倍。

中老500千伏联网工程于2025年2月26日启动建设，输电线路全长177.5公里，其中中国段145公里、老挝段32.5公里，连接中国云南省和老挝乌多姆塞省、琅南塔省，并在老挝境内新建1座500千伏变电站，2回230千伏线路连接老挝北部主干网，助力打造老挝电网“一张网”。

今年是中老建交65周年暨“中老友好年”。作为纳入中老命运共同体行动计划的重大工程项目，中老500千伏联网工程是两国继中老铁路后深化务实合作、高质量共建“一带一路”的又一标志性成果。2026年，该项目预计实现光伏跨境输送电量约11亿千瓦时，持续助力中老能源优势互补。

南方电网公司市场营销部高级经理王一介绍，南方电网通过中老500千伏联网通道“硬联通”以及市场机制“软联通”，以市场化方式推动中老两国清洁能源消纳，有效激活南方电力市场配置效能，助力实现中老电力资源常态互济。

文丨记者 董鹏程 通讯员 蓝望
图丨南方电网供图
翻译丨陈冠臻
审校丨曾敏