China Completes World’s Largest Power Supply System
China has officially completed the world’s largest power supply system, marking a historic milestone in the nation’s energy infrastructure development. The announcement came on June 30 with the release of the China Power Supply Development Report (2026) at a conference in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, organized by the National Energy Administration (NEA).
According to Xinhua News, the report — the first comprehensive national power supply development report ever compiled — documents that China’s power user base has reached nearly 800 million households, the largest in the world. This vast system is supported by 99,000 service outlets and over 560,000 employees across 2,889 power supply enterprises and 20,000 service stations.
A System of Unprecedented Scale
China’s electricity consumption reached 10.37 trillion kilowatt-hours (kWh) in 2025, a 5% year-on-year increase. As China Daily reported, this makes China the first country ever to surpass the 10-trillion-kWh annual consumption mark — more than double that of the United States and exceeding the combined total of the European Union, Russia, India, and Japan.
The State Council noted that high-end manufacturing is becoming a core engine for power demand. In 2025, electricity consumption for the manufacturing of new energy vehicles surged by over 20%, while wind power equipment manufacturing saw growth exceeding 30%. The rapid expansion of the digital economy — including 5G base stations, data centers, and AI infrastructure — has also created significant new demand.
From Basic Supply to Quality Experience
The report signals a strategic shift in China’s power sector philosophy. Song Hongkun, Deputy Director of the National Energy Administration, stated that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025), China’s “Access to Electricity” reform achieved historic breakthroughs, forging a path from “ensuring basic supply” to “pursuing quality experience.”
According to Xinhua’s detailed analysis, the “Three Zero” service model (zero上门/visit, zero审批/approval, zero投资/investment) has been expanded to cover all private economic organizations with power connection capacity up to 160 kW, saving users over 700 billion yuan in power connection investments during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. In 2025 alone, users saved over 40 billion yuan through this program.
Yang Kun, Executive Vice Chairman of the China Electricity Council, told gov.cn that “behind the 10-trillion-kWh annual power use is steady progress toward a high-tech, high-value-added industrial structure and a firm commitment to low-carbon development. It serves as powerful evidence of the resilience and long-term stability of the Chinese economy.”
Green Transition and Electrification
The report highlights significant progress in China’s energy transition. Renewable energy now accounts for 38.5% of total electricity consumption — nearly 4 out of every 10 kWh comes from green sources, significantly above the global average. Electricity accounts for 30% of end-use energy consumption, reflecting rapid electrification across the economy.
China’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure has also reached a major milestone, with over 20 million charging facilities installed nationwide. As Xinhua Politics reported, 19 provinces have achieved “full township coverage” for charging infrastructure, and the 15th Five-Year Plan targets doubling this to 40 million charging facilities by 2030, supporting an estimated 110 million electric vehicles.
Rural-Urban Equity and Digital Services
The report emphasizes efforts to close the urban-rural gap in power supply quality. In 2025, 17,000 non-grid direct supply residential communities were converted to direct grid supply, benefiting 7.8 million households. The central budget allocated 5 billion yuan for rural grid investment, driving total investment of over 160 billion yuan.
Digital transformation of power services has been equally impressive. The online platform now registers 570 million users, with an online processing rate exceeding 97%. The power industry also provided “Three Zero” connection services to over 70,000 communities and 210,000 e-bike charging facilities, addressing electric bicycle charging safety concerns while saving over 400 million yuan.
Looking Ahead
As China enters the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030), the NEA has emphasized integrating AI, big data, and drone inspection technologies into grid operations. Song Hongkun called for expanding the concept of “Access to Electricity” from single electricity supply to comprehensive services encompassing “power supply + energy efficiency + green electricity.”
With grid investment reaching 639.5 billion yuan in 2025 — over half directed toward distribution networks — and core urban areas already achieving “minute-level” reliability standards comparable to leading global cities, China’s power infrastructure is positioned for continued modernization. The completion of the world’s largest power supply system is not merely an endpoint, but a foundation for the next phase of the country’s energy transformation.