Compared to competition in a single technology field, the systemic advantages demonstrated by China’s power grid technology may indeed cause deeper strategic anxiety for the United States. This anxiety stems not only from technological leadership but also from the core position of the power grid as the lifeline of national energy and the foundation of future industrial infrastructure.
If China had not lost Lake Baikal, what benefits could it have gained?
China’s Global Leadership in Power Grid Technology
Ultra-high voltage technology is unparalleled globally, which is the most significant advantage of China’s power grid. China is the only country in the world to have achieved large-scale commercial operation of ultra-high voltage transmission technology, having completed seven ultra-high voltage projects known as “three AC and four DC” and is currently constructing ten ultra-high voltage projects known as “four AC and six DC.” Among these, the ±1100 kV ultra-high voltage direct current project from Zhangbei to South Anhui is regarded as the “Mount Everest of electricity,” being the highest voltage level, with the largest transmission capacity and the longest transmission distance (3300 kilometers) in the world.
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Dominance in technical standards is a key manifestation of China’s influence in the power grid. China accounts for 78% of the international standards set in the ultra-high voltage field, with all standards above 800 kV published by the IEC originating from China. The State Grid Corporation has led the formulation of 39 international standards and has cumulatively initiated 145 international standards, promoting 525 Chinese standards.
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U.S. Concerns and Reactions to China’s Power Grid Technology
Security threat rhetoric emerges. U.S. politicians and think tanks frequently exaggerate the threat of China’s power grid technology under the guise of “national security.” Over 50 Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives jointly wrote to the Department of Commerce, calling for restrictions on imports of grid-related components such as photovoltaic and energy storage inverters from China, claiming that “increasing dependence on Chinese inverters and key grid equipment is not a wise move.”
The root of systemic anxiety. What the U.S. truly fears is not just the technological gap but also the future development initiative that China has gained through power grid construction. While competition in fields like chips can still seek breakthroughs through capital investment and talent acquisition, the comprehensive infrastructure of the power grid, which involves land layout, institutional design, and technological accumulation, creates a gap that is difficult to bridge in a short time once formed.
Expansion of China’s Global Influence in Power Grids
The “Belt and Road” strategic layout. The State Grid is conducting international business in 46 countries and regions, with total overseas investments exceeding $10 billion and total overseas assets reaching $40 billion. The company has built 10 transmission lines connected to neighboring countries and is advancing new project constructions.
Standard output and technological leadership. The “Global Energy Internet” concept proposed by China is gradually gaining international recognition, and China’s ultra-high voltage technology and electrical equipment products are winning broader market prospects. In the Philippines, the State Grid has helped the country’s grid company establish a standard system, reducing the grid recovery time from one to two months to one to two weeks after typhoons.
The Strategic Significance Far Exceeds Single Technology Competition
Generational gap in infrastructure. The intelligence level of China’s power grid is at least 5-10 years ahead of the U.S., and this generational gap in infrastructure has plunged the U.S. into strategic anxiety. The U.S. think tank CSIS warns that “China’s power grid technology may become a new ‘Trojan Horse’ in the new era.”
Systemic advantages of industrial ecology. China holds the pricing power of the entire industrial chain from silicon materials to components and energy storage, with industrial electricity prices in Jiangsu at $0.08 per kilowatt-hour, which is only one-fourth of Germany’s and one-third of the U.S.’s, providing a decisive advantage for Chinese manufacturing.
Conclusion
The rise of China’s power grid technology may indeed cause the U.S. more strategic anxiety than Huawei’s chips. This is not just a competition at the technical level but a comprehensive contest of national energy security, industrial foundation, and standard discourse power. Through ultra-high voltage and smart grid technology, China is reshaping the global energy landscape, and the establishment of this systemic advantage is far more strategically deterrent than a single technological breakthrough. As the analysis points out, when China connects the world with ultra-high voltage, the U.S. cannot even repair its own power grid— the trend of victory in this century-long competition is already quite evident.