XINING, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Qinghai-Xizang grid interconnection project has operated safely for over 12 years, with a cumulative power transmission of more than 20 billion kWh, the State Grid Qinghai Electric Power Company said on Tuesday.

This project links Xining, capital of northwest China's Qinghai Province, with Lhasa, capital of the neighboring Xizang Autonomous Region.

Since its operation in 2011, over 11.3 billion kWh of electricity has been transmitted to Xizang from Qinghai, while 8.7 billion kWh of electricity has been sent to Qinghai from Xizang.

By integrating the power grid in Xizang with the national grid, the Qinghai-Xizang grid interconnection project could transfer electricity to Xizang to alleviate its power shortages during the dry season in the winter and spring. Meanwhile, during the rainy season in the summer and fall, the project is able to transmit surplus hydroelectric power from Xizang to Qinghai for consumption.

The electricity transmitted by the project has shown consistent growth over the years, surging from 650 million kWh in 2012 to 2.8 billion kWh in 2023.

The growth rates of electricity consumption in Xizang have been among the highest in China for years. The region's electricity consumption volume increased from 2.89 billion kWh in 2012 to 11.98 billion kWh in 2022.