Xinjiang's First County-Level Microgrid Demonstration Project Commences Operation

On November 10, the Tashkurgan Green Smart Self-Adjusting Intelligent Microgrid Demonstration Project (Phase I), Xinjiang's first county-level microgrid system, was officially connected to the grid and began operation in Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County (Tashkurgan), Kashgar, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Aerial view of the Tashkurgan Green Smart Self-Adjustment Intelligent Microgrid Demonstration Project (Phase I). (Photo by Abdurazaq Tursun Eli)

Located at the eastern foot of the Pamir Plateau, Tashkurgan is not only a frontier gateway but also a key area for advancing green county development. Due to the plateau's challenging geography and development environment, the local power grid has long relied solely on the 220 kV Yingcun first and second transmission lines connected to the Kashgar main grid along the same corridor. This limited infrastructure has struggled to support the region's growing clean energy development and green tourism economy, making it a typical case of the complex challenges faced in constructing new electrical grid systems.

Focusing on improving power supply reliability and emergency backup, State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power Company Limited has partnered with CHN Energy to develop low-carbon and clean energy solutions and establish a model green self-adjusting county demonstration project.

The microgrid project introduces an innovative composite power supply system that combines new energy sources, grid-forming energy storage, and multi-port energy information routers. Its core architecture coordinates the main grid, distribution networks, and intelligent microgrids with intelligent layering and resilient support. The project establishes a Muztagh County-Level Microgrid, featuring 15 MW of grid-forming energy storage, 6 MW of distributed photovoltaic capacity, and a county-wide network, ensuring full coverage and securing power supply to key areas. Once operational, the system will provide emergency power to the county seat and greatly improve the terminal grid's self-sufficiency.

To implement and promote the demonstration project, the project adopts an innovative dual-mode operation combining a supply guarantee mode and a virtual power plant mode. Moving forward, State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power Company Limited will take this microgrid as the hub to collect diverse distributed energy resources, enable seamless coordination between energy dispatch and market transactions, and maximize the diversified economic potential of virtual power plants. Moreover, the Company plans to build a comprehensive energy and carbon emissions control center, improve the multi-data source carbon emission certification system, and work toward achieving zero carbon emissions in Tashkurgan. By ensuring reliable power supply and promoting new energy consumption, the Company aims to support balanced development of the border economy, society, and environmental protection, fostering a sustainable and mutually beneficial cycle for all stakeholders. (Li Xiujun, Almira Memet Tursun, Mei Jiajia)