China plans $36.5B for grid upgrade

Chinese power distributor State Grid Corp. announced plans to invest RMB 250 billion ($36.5 billion) in 2009 to upgrade its electric grid.

State Grid, which distributes power in all but five of China's provinces, plans to invest
in the development of ultra-high voltage transmission lines. Additionally, money is planned to improve the flow of electricity on the grid from regions that produce more energy than
they consume to the more densely populated areas without major energy projects.

Dow Jones reports that the investment is about 1 percent more than the company spent in 2008 on its fixed assets.

The energy-generation landscape is changing quickly in China. The country added 6,300 MW of installed wind capacity in 2008, reaching a total of 12,200 MW, according to the Global Wind Energy Council. The Chinese Renewable Energy Industry Association forecasts that China could again double installed capacity in 2009 (see China Wind starts production at new factory).

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