Huaneng has started operations of a 5.4 GW hydro-solar hybrid project at Xiaowan hydropower plant in Yunnan (southwestern China) (Huaneng press release, 27/4/2026).
The Xiaowan Hydropower–Solar Hybrid Project is operated by Huaneng’s subsidiary Huaneng Lancang River Hydropower, and it consists of 4.2 GW of hydro capacity and 1.23 GW of solar power. The project is expected to produce up to 20 TWh/year of electricity, enough to power up to 7 million households and avoid the emission of about 16 MtCO2/year. The project uses a technology that concentrates the renewable electricity produced by 16 solar power plants and the hydro facility through a collection station from where the energy is then transmitted to the grid, ensuring a safe and stable supply of electricity.
At the end of 2025, China’s total capacity reached 3 891 GW, with 35% of coal, 31% of solar, 16% of wind, 12% of hydro, 4% of gas, 2% of nuclear, and 1% of biomass. The country aims to achieve net-zero by 2060.
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