Feasibility Study on Green Transition of Exporting China’s UHV Large-scale Interconnected Power Grid Model to Southeast Asia: Supporting ASEAN Energy Interconnection and Carbon Neutrality Goals

Mengxi Ding ()
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Mengxi Ding: Huadian Electric Power Research Institute CO., Ltd.

A chapter in Proceedings of the 2026 11th International Conference on Social Sciences and Economic Development (ICSSED 2026), 2026, pp 206-213 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Southeast Asia faces explosive electricity demand growth that is projected to more than double between 2025 and 2050, while its vast renewable resources remain underutilized due to severe grid fragmentation. The ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) 2026–2030, endorsed in October 2025, sets clear targets of 30% renewables in primary energy supply, 45% in installed capacity, and a 40% reduction in energy intensity, with the ASEAN Power Grid and 18 priority interconnection projects requiring substantial investment at its core. China’s Ultra-High Voltage (UHV) large-scale interconnected power grid model, featuring ±800 kV/ ±1100 kV DC transmission with unified planning and dispatching, has achieved over 56% clean energy utilization domestically and demonstrated successful export through the China-Laos 500 kV project that reached full connectivity in February 2026. Based on Balassa’s regional economic integration theory and the Energy Trilemma framework, this paper constructs a four-dimensional analysis framework (technical, economic, policy-institutional, and green benefits) and applies net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR) models. Results show high feasibility with positive NPV of approximately USD 18.5 billion and IRR of 14.2% for benchmark projects, alongside projected regional GDP growth of 2.1–3.4%, avoidance of millions of tons of annual CO₂ emissions, and creation of over 1.45 million green jobs by 2040. The China-Laos case study and SWOT analysis validate practical benefits while identifying manageable risks. Targeted countermeasures at national, enterprise, and multilateral levels are proposed. The study concludes that China’s UHV model provides a replicable “Chinese solution” that directly supports APAEC 2026–2030 objectives and advances ASEAN’s energy interconnection and carbon neutrality goals under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Keywords: UHV Large-scale Interconnected Power Grid; Green Energy Transition; ASEAN Power Grid (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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DOI: 10.2991/978-94-6239-701-9_22

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