National Energy Administration to Unveil New Energy System Plan, Prioritizing Major Wind, Solar, and Nuclear Projects

Ren Yuzhi, Director-General of the Planning Department at the National Energy Administration, stated that in 2026—the inaugural year of China's "15th Five-Year Plan" period—the government will issue and implement a new energy system framework along with a series of sector-specific energy plans to accelerate the building of a strong energy nation. The planning will prioritize concrete projects, adhering to the principle that "projects follow the plan." On one hand, major projects will be advanced, including the Yarlung Zangbo downstream hydropower project, wind and solar bases in the "Three-North" regions (northern, northeastern, and northwestern China), integrated hydro-solar-wind complexes in southwest China, coastal nuclear power plants, and offshore wind farms, while optimizing key electricity and oil/gas transmission corridors. On the other hand, the development of smaller yet impactful ("small but beautiful") projects will be accelerated, such as upgrades to electric vehicle charging networks, integrated solar-wind-hydrogen-ammonia-methanol bases, concentrated solar power (CSP) projects, zero-carbon industrial parks, and green transitions of heating systems—providing robust energy support for achieving socialist modernization.