China's installed power capacity exceeds 4 billion kW

At the end of May 2026 China’s total installed electricity generation capacity reached 4.01 billion kilowatts, according to the National Energy Administration (NEA). Non‑fossil sources account for about 62 % of this capacity, with renewables representing roughly 60.5 % and coal falling to 31.7 % – a sharp shift from 2010 when coal comprised 61.2 %.

The figure surpasses the combined capacity of the United States, the European Union, India, Japan and Russia. Growth accelerated dramatically: it took eight years to rise from 1 billion kW to 2 billion kW, five years to reach 3 billion kW, and just over two years to cross the 4 billion kW threshold. The expansion is driven by public policies, falling technology costs, and a dominant domestic supply chain for solar and wind equipment. The grid has been upgraded with 46 ultra‑high‑voltage transmission projects to move power from the western generation zones to eastern consumption centres.