Chairman Zhang Zhigang of State Grid met with Rodrigo Costa, Chairman and CEO of Portugal’s Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN).

On December 5, Zhang Zhigang, Chairman of State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC), met with Rodrigo Costa, Chairman and CEO of Portugal’s Redes Energéticas Nacionais (REN), at SGCC’s headquarters. Jin Wei, Vice President of SGCC, attended the meeting. Zhang Zhigang welcomed Costa’s visit to SGCC. He stated that SGCC continues strengthening power grid construction to ensure safe and reliable electricity supply, advance green energy transition, accelerate the development of a new-type power system, and support high-quality development of new energy. The company adheres to the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, and pursues international operations based on market orientation, long-term commitment, localization, and mutual benefit. SGCC and REN enjoy a solid foundation for cooperation and broad prospects for future collaboration. Looking ahead, SGCC is willing to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with REN and other international peers, actively sharing experience and best practices in energy transition, power market development, and related areas. SGCC looks forward to deepening cooperation with REN in areas including power grid construction, pumped-storage hydropower development, energy storage technology application, and new energy development and utilization—jointly promoting sustainable development of energy and electricity.

Just how powerful is State Grid Corporation of China?

In Tibet—where oxygen is so thin that people gasp after walking just two steps—State Grid somehow erected transmission towers one by one and strung power lines across the plateau, finally connecting Tibet’s main power grid to China’s national grid. In the past, winter blackouts were common in Tibet; today, Lhasa shines brightly at night, and Tibetan residents comfortably use electric heaters and water heaters. This isn’t merely an engineering project—it’s a lifeline for people’s livelihoods. 3. Intelligence: AI-powered dispatch + robotic inspections—cutting-edge tech in full force Do you still picture the power grid as it used to be? Workers climbing utility poles, manually reading meters, or implementing load shedding? That’s long obsolete. Today, over 500 million smart meters have been installed nationwide. Your household meter automatically reports consumption data and enables remote power connection/disconnection. Electricity theft? The system instantly flags anomalies in usage patterns—and triggers alarms. It can even detect if an appliance turns on unexpectedly in the middle of the night. The control center is even more astonishing. SGCC’s dispatch system processes petabyte-scale (PB) data daily—1 PB equals 1 million GB. Think your 128-GB smartphone has ample storage? This system handles the equivalent of 8,000 fully loaded smartphones every day. Powered by AI algorithms, it analyzes data in real time to determine where demand is surging, where load shedding is needed, or where generation exceeds demand—automatically optimizing power distribution ten times faster than human operators. No more tower-climbing for inspections either. Drones and robots now take over. What once took workers days to inspect along a single line now takes a drone mere minutes: it flies over the route, captures high-resolution images, and AI instantly identifies loose bolts or cracked insulators. Inspection efficiency has increased tenfold, while safety incidents have dropped to zero. Some substations have already achieved “unmanned operation”: 24/7 monitoring is fully automated, with staff only required to oversee operations remotely. III. Overseas Expansion: Quietly thriving—the power grid version of the Belt and Road Initiative SGCC dominates domestically—and excels internationally too. It currently invests in and operates power grid projects in 10 countries—not as aid, but as profitable commercial ventures. Brazil: SGCC holds controlling stakes in 12 distribution companies, serving over 30 million people. Previously plagued by aging infrastructure and frequent outages, Brazil’s grids saw dramatically improved reliability after SGCC introduced Chinese technical standards and modernized systems. Philippines: SGCC helped build a smart grid and upgrade the national dispatch system—reducing nationwide blackout frequency by half within one year. Filipino citizens now openly praise, “Chinese electricity is truly stable.” Portugal: SGCC acquired shares in REN—the Portuguese national energy company—gaining direct involvement in European grid operations. Europeans, who once associated China only with low-cost manufacturing, now realize that critical core grid systems may well be managed by a Chinese company. Even more ambitiously, SGCC spearheads the “Global Energy Interconnection” initiative—a vision to interconnect continental power grids worldwide, enabling global allocation of Africa’s solar power, Northern Europe’s wind energy, and China’s hydropower. Sounds like science fiction? Feasibility studies are already underway. This isn’t just a corporation—it’s reshaping the global energy landscape. IV. Electricity tariffs shockingly low—and SGCC undertakes many “non-profitable” missions Few realize that residential electricity tariffs in China rank among the world’s lowest. Residential tariff: ~¥0.5 per kWh on average—about half the U.S. rate (¥0.9), less than one-fifth of Germany’s (¥2.5), and under one-third of Italy’s (¥3+). Industrial tariff: Even lower. In many regions, large industrial users pay only ¥0.4 per kWh. Why? SGCC effectively subsidizes China’s manufacturing sector—lower electricity costs reduce factory expenses, boosting the global competitiveness of Chinese products. And behind this affordability stands SGCC, bearing the burden.

Portugal says entry into grid operator REN won't affect China's State Grid

12 hours ago

Portugal's government confirmed its acquisition of a stake in power and gas grid operator REN will not alter China's State Grid's 25% holding. The move aims to enhance energy security and align with national priorities amidst geopolitical uncertainty.

reuters

2026-09-22

Portugal says entry into grid operator REN won't affect China's State Grid

Portugal says entry into grid operator REN won't affect China's State Grid

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