On April 7, 2026, state-owned energy developer China General Nuclear Power Group (CGN) announced that construction has officially commenced on a landmark 50 megawatt trough-based concentrated solar thermal power plant, sited at 4,550 meters above sea level in Damxung County, Lhasa, Southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region. The project forms a core component of a larger integrated solar thermal and photovoltaic (PV) complex developed by CGN, which combines the steady, dispatchable power generation capacity of concentrated solar thermal (CSP) technology with the high output efficiency of utility-scale PV panels.
Located on the high-altitude Tibetan Plateau, the site benefits from exceptional solar irradiance levels year-round, a key natural advantage for utility-scale solar energy development. However, the extreme altitude also presents unique engineering and construction challenges, including low atmospheric pressure, lower oxygen levels for construction crews, and extreme temperature fluctuations that require specialized materials and design adaptations.
When completed, the project is expected to set a new global record for the highest-altitude utility-scale CSP plant currently in operation. It will also strengthen Xizang’s commitment to expanding its clean energy capacity, leveraging the region’s abundant renewable resources to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and support China’s national carbon peaking and neutrality goals. Drone imagery captured on April 6, one day before the official construction launch, showed initial site preparation work underway across the project footprint, with early infrastructure installation progressing on schedule.