According to Electrek, China Huadian, a state-owned power producer, has inaugurated the second phase of the Caipeng solar-energy storage power plant in Shannan, Tibet.
World’s Highest Solar Installation
Situated at an altitude of 5,228 meters above sea level, the plant becomes the world’s highest solar installation. This second phase surpasses the first phase, which was constructed at 5,100 meters.
The corporation states that China Huadian has invested a total of $127.8 million in the project. The plant is expected to produce 247 million kWh of electricity annually, but no further details were provided. Previously, the world’s highest solar energy storage project was another facility in Tibet, completed in 2020 at an altitude of 4,700 meters.
The second phase of the Caipeng solar-energy storage power plant, spanning 1.4 km2, adds 100 MW of capacity, building upon the initial 50 MW phase commissioned in December 2023. Combined, these two phases aim to address seasonal power shortages in central Tibet during winter and spring.
Construction of the second phase commenced in August 2024. By utilizing on-site assembled supports and conveyors, PowerChina, the project contractor, completed the project in just 115 days—a full 42 days ahead of schedule. These methods enhanced construction efficiency by 40% despite the challenging highland environment.
The plant also features 170,000 solar panels and a 20 MW/80 MW energy storage system. This mechanism is designed to provide 80,000 kWh of electricity for up to 4 hours after dark, helping to alleviate power shortages in central Tibet.
PowerChina claims that the project employs two-sided photovoltaic (PV) modules, which are up to 7.5% more efficient than conventional panels. These advanced modules capture sunlight reflected from the ground, significantly boosting energy production. Consequently, they increase overall efficiency by 20% compared to traditional single-sided solar panels, enabling greater energy generation and maximizing the potential of available sunlight.
The PV modules not only enhance performance under normal conditions but also take advantage of snow and other reflective surfaces, especially in high-altitude environments like Tibet, where sunlight can be more intense.
$2.8 Billion Invested in Vietnam 
Huadian Group, a central state-owned enterprise under the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, operates in four main sectors: power generation, coal supply, science and technology, and finance.
According to its website, the Group has 97,000 employees, total assets of 1.1 trillion RMB (approximately $150 billion), and an installed power generation capacity of 219 GW, of which clean energy accounts for 52.4%. The Group has been listed in the Fortune Global 500 for 13 consecutive years and has been selected as one of China’s 500 Most Valuable Brands for five consecutive years.
A Huadian Group power plant (Photo: UDF-Space)
During a meeting with the Prime Minister, Mr. Jiang Yi, Chairman of the Board of Huadian Group, stated that the Group values the Vietnamese market and has invested over $2.8 billion, with a total installed capacity of 1.5 GW.
Among their projects, the Duyen Hai 2 Power Plant (Tra Vinh, Vietnam) (2×660 MW) is the corporation’s largest power plant in terms of installed capacity and investment scale abroad; while the Dak Lak Wind Power Project (4×50 MW) is the first onshore renewable energy project invested by the Group outside of China.
Duyen Hai 2 Thermal Power Plant (Photo: PECC2)
Mr. Jiang Yi expressed Huadian Group’s desire to strengthen cooperation and investment in Vietnam in areas such as wind power, green hydrogen, energy storage, power system upgrades, power plant technology improvements, and energy efficiency enhancement. They also aim to establish a research and development (R&D) center to jointly promote cooperation in the energy sector.
In the coal supply business, in 2018, Huadian owned and held stakes in 31 coal mines with a production capacity of approximately 51 million tons.
In the financial business, the Huadian Group has six financial organizations operating in this sector. In the technology and engineering sector, the Group manages three directly owned subsidiaries.
