A major power transmission project connecting Shanxi Province's Datong City to Tianjin Municipality in north China has begun construction, the State Grid Corporation of China (State Grid) announced on Tuesday.
As part of China's west-to-east power transmission system, the 1,000kV ultra-high voltage (UHV) AC project spans 770 kilometers, passing through Huailai County in north China's Hebei Province.
The project has a total investment of 23 billion yuan (about 3.18 billion U.S. dollars). Once completed, it will strengthen northern China's power transmission network, significantly improving the security, reliability, and resilience of the electricity supply in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
"By 2030, electricity consumption and peak load in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region are expected to increase by approximately 21 percent and 43 percent, respectively, compared with 2024. This project will increase northern China's UHV power transmission capacity to 21 million kilowatts, optimizing the energy supply structure for the region's load centers," said Dan Gang, director of the substation department of the UHV Division under State Grid.
The project will integrate eight million kilowatts of new renewable energy and four million kilowatts of supporting coal power into the grid, helping Shanxi and Hebei to further unleash their potential of energy resources, and accelerate the green transformation of energy.
"The project will facilitate the transmission and consumption of renewable energy generated from Shanxi and Hebei, promoting the consumption of over 14.6 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually. This will replace 4.45 million tons of coal consumption and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 11.81 million tons each year," said Yan Xiaohong, director of the construction department at State Grid Shanxi Electric Power Company.
Construction begins on major power transmission project linking Shanxi, Tianjin
China's push toward a greener future is once again in the spotlight at this year's annual political "two sessions", as lawmakers are reviewing a draft ecological environment code, a significant step toward establishing a comprehensive legal framework for ecological protection.
The draft code was submitted on March 5 to the ongoing fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, for deliberation.
Once adopted, it will become China's second formal statutory code, after the Civil Code, which was adopted in 2020.
The rule of law has been continuously strengthened to support the country's green progress. China already has more than 30 laws related to environmental protection, along with over 100 sets of administrative regulations and more than 1,000 sets of local rules.
The latest legislative move comes amid China's historic gains in ecological conservation over the past decade or so. Championing green development, the country has recorded the world's fastest growth in forest resources and afforestation, led globally in renewable energy development, and achieved one of the fastest national reductions in energy intensity worldwide.
The 1,242-article draft has five chapters, covering areas including pollution control, ecological protection, and green and low-carbon development.
Scholars involved in drafting the legislation say the code goes beyond broad legal principles. It is also designed to address environmental issues that affect people's daily lives.
"Electric vehicles are becoming very common in China. My family has one. We all think it environment-friendly. But have you ever thought about this question: how do we deal with the first generation of EV batteries after they expire a few years later? The same goes for wind turbine blades and solar panels," said Ding Lin, assistant professor of the Renmin University of China.
China's environmental progress has drawn global attention in recent years, from improving air quality to expanding renewable energy. Yet amid geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, some observers have questioned whether the country will maintain the same pace of green transition.
"Last year during the COP30, even some friends who are very familiar with China asked me whether China will continue its green development path. I told them we have gradually worked out new policies. We have a very clear direction and goal. In a world full of uncertainties, we are providing the most certainty," said Wang Yi, an NPC deputy from east China's Zhejiang Province and professor of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
In a country pursuing modernization, taking the time to codify environmental laws sends a clear message: economic growth and environmental protection are not a trade-off to be managed, but a commitment to be upheld. For China, a beautiful environment is not a luxury for the future, it is a right for the present, and a responsibility to the next generation.
"This code reflects China's vision of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. It shows how development and environmental protection can move forward together," said Lyu Zhongmei, vice chair of the NPC Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee.
China will accelerate the green transition across the board and cut carbon dioxide emissions per unit of the GDP by a total of 17 percent in the 2026-2030 period, according to a draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) for national economic and social development submitted to the NPC for deliberation on March 5.
Chinese lawmakers review draft ecological environment code in major green legislative push
