China’s first 500-kV cross-border alternating-current (AC) power interconnection project with Laos officially began operation on Monday, significantly expanding electricity exchange capacity between the two countries.
The new China–Laos power link increases bilateral transmission capacity from 50,000 kilowatts to 1.5 million kilowatts. It enables the annual transfer of approximately 3 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean electricity—about 30 times the capacity of previous transmission lines.
The project connects Yunnan Province in southwest China with Oudomxay and Luang Namtha provinces in northern Laos. Spanning 177.5 kilometers, the transmission line includes a 145-km section in China and a 32.5-km section in Laos. Construction began in February 2025 and was jointly funded and built by China Southern Power Grid Co., Ltd. and Electricite du Laos Transmission Company Limited.
As the project entered operation, cross-border electricity trading commenced. Around 4.81 million kWh of clean power generated in northern Laos was transmitted to Yunnan, marking a more regular and institutionalized stage of energy cooperation between the two countries.
The electricity involved includes power from a major mountain photovoltaic project in Laos, which has an average annual output of about 1.65 billion kWh. In 2026, roughly 1.1 billion kWh of solar energy is expected to be transmitted across the border, supporting energy complementarity and regional green development.
This project represents the largest and highest-voltage cross-border grid connection between China and Laos. It is also the first time an overseas new energy project has participated in China’s electricity market.
The launch coincides with the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Laos and the China-Laos Friendship Year, further strengthening bilateral cooperation under the framework of building a China-Laos community with a shared future.
