Southwest China’s Sichuan province has reached a historic milestone in renewable energy development, with its total installed hydropower capacity exceeding 100 million kilowatts (100 GW) on December 19, 2025. This achievement represents approximately one-quarter of China’s total hydropower capacity and establishes Sichuan as the nation’s preeminent hydropower generation hub.
The milestone was reached when the final generating unit at the Yinjiang Hydropower Station in Panzhihua City was successfully connected to the power grid. Located on the Jinsha River, this facility boasts a total installed capacity of 390,000 kilowatts. Once fully operational, the station is projected to deliver over 1.6 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 1.3 million tonnes.
Sichuan has served as the cornerstone of China’s ambitious west-to-east power transmission initiative since 1998. The province annually transmits approximately one-third of its generated electricity to other regions. According to State Grid Sichuan Electric Power Company, Sichuan has delivered more than 1.9 trillion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity to central and eastern China over the past 27 years—sufficient to power Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui provinces combined for an entire year.
The province’s remarkable hydropower development stems from its abundant water resources, earning it the nickname ‘province of a thousand rivers.’ This natural advantage has positioned Sichuan as a critical component in China’s transition toward cleaner energy and carbon reduction goals.