National Development and Reform Commission: Accelerate the construction of a new energy supply and consumption system to actively develop nuclear power in a safe and orderly manner

The Zhitong Finance App learned that on December 25, the Infrastructure Development Department of the National Development and Reform Commission issued a document stating that the supply structure will be optimized. In the energy sector, we will continue to increase the share of new energy supply, promote the safe, reliable and orderly replacement of fossil energy, and focus on building new power systems. Accelerate the construction of a new energy supply and consumption system, coordinate all aspects of energy production, supply, storage and consumption, and improve energy supply stability and peak supply guarantee capacity. Actively develop nuclear power in a safe and orderly manner. The focus is on promoting the national green hydroammonia alcohol planning and layout, led by applications such as gray hydrogen replacement and green marine fuel.

The original text is as follows:

Accelerate the construction of a modern infrastructure system

National Development and Reform Commission Infrastructure Development Department

Infrastructure, represented by transportation, energy, water conservancy, and information (digital), etc., plays a fundamental, leading, and strategic role in national economic development. The “Proposal” adopted by the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee makes a top-level design and strategic plan for the construction of a modern infrastructure system over the next five years. It is a re-mobilization and redeployment to take advantage of the momentum and keep pace with the times to promote high-quality infrastructure development. The National Development and Reform Commission will earnestly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, thoroughly implement the deployment requirements of the “Proposal”, scientifically prepare the “15th Five-Year Plan” infrastructure sector, speed up the construction of a modern infrastructure system, and better support Chinese-style modernization.

I. In-depth study and understanding of the rich content and core principles of General Secretary Xi Jinping's series of important remarks

General Secretary Xi Jinping attached great importance to infrastructure development. The 11th meeting of the Central Committee on Finance and Economics stated that “mobilizing the strength of the whole society to build a modern infrastructure system” not only makes overall plans for building a modern infrastructure system, but also makes specific arrangements for transportation powers, energy powers, national water networks, network powers, etc., providing ideological guidance and fundamental guidelines for promoting high-quality infrastructure development in the new era.

The basic position for infrastructure development is clearly proposed. General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed, “Infrastructure is an important support for economic and social development. It is necessary to coordinate development and security, optimize infrastructure layout, structure, functions and development models, build a modern infrastructure system, and lay a solid foundation for the all-round construction of a modern socialist country.” Throughout the history of human social development, from irrigation and flood control facilities in agricultural societies, to railways and power facilities in industrial societies, to today's big data and artificial intelligence facilities, infrastructure has always been the material foundation that supports the progress of civilization and the development of the times. To promote Chinese-style modernization, we must take the lead in building a modern infrastructure system. During the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, it is necessary to comprehensively promote high-quality infrastructure development, improve the facility network with strong carrying capacity, provide high-quality, efficient, safe and reliable service supply, and strengthen the role of supporting and safeguarding territorial space development and protection, optimizing productivity layout, and implementing major national strategies.

Deeply explain the intrinsic requirements for infrastructure development. The 11th meeting of the Central Committee on Finance and Economics emphasized that “it is necessary to be moderately ahead of schedule. The layout is conducive to leading industrial development and maintaining national security, while also grasping the degree of advanced construction” and “serving the country's major strategies to support economic and social development.” The 12th meeting of the Central Committee on Comprehensive and Deepening Reform emphasized “building a modern infrastructure system that is intensive, efficient, affordable, intelligent, green, safe and reliable.” This requires coordinating the overall macroeconomic and industry development, and striving to unify the economic, social, ecological, and safety benefits of infrastructure development. In the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, we must adhere to advanced and applicable standards. Facilities and equipment cannot be built backward or surpass actual development needs; we must adhere to complete system requirements to promote balanced infrastructure layout, reasonable structure and perfect functions in various fields; we must adhere to the smart green direction, strengthen technological empowerment and green transformation, and accelerate the formation and application of new quality productivity; we must adhere to a safe and reliable bottom line, raise the level of autonomy of key technical equipment, and enhance system resilience and emergency response capabilities.

Emphasis is placed on conceptual approaches to infrastructure development. The 11th meeting of the Central Committee on Finance and Economics emphasized the need for “systematic planning and overall collaboration” and “coordination of all types of infrastructure layout to achieve connectivity, co-construction and sharing, coordination and linkage.” This requires applying Marxist materialistic dialectics, adhering to the systemic concept, and achieving overall balance. During the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, it is necessary to coordinate the present and long-term, anchor the goal of becoming a strong country in 2035, and plan and implement the five-year infrastructure plan tasks in an orderly manner; to coordinate development and security, from the strategy of maintaining national security and winning competition among major powers, the publishing bureau infrastructure is required to ensure that it can withstand, hold on, and not break the chain at critical times; it is necessary to coordinate the government and the market, and strengthen cross-sector collaboration and integration; it is necessary to coordinate the government and the market to consolidate the guarantee role of social capital and encourage the active role of social capital Participate to fully mobilize the strength of the whole society.

Precisely deploy new tasks in infrastructure development. The “Proposal” proposes “strengthening overall infrastructure planning, optimizing the layout structure, promoting integration, improving safety, resilience and operational sustainability” and “promoting the construction of major corridors across regions and watersheds.” This is a new arrangement made by the Party Central Committee for infrastructure development based on the new situation and new requirements. During the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, we must adhere to goal orientation and problem orientation, implement deployment as tasks, and implement tasks into projects. On the one hand, it is necessary to effectively improve operational sustainability by improving increments, revitalizing stocks, reducing costs and increasing revenue, and strengthening maintenance; on the other hand, it is necessary to fully consider financial security and operational sustainability in accordance with the country's medium- and long-term layout plan and coordinated regional development requirements, plan cross-regional cross-watershed channel projects in an integrated manner, and scientifically determine construction timing, scale, and standards.

II. Fully understand China's major achievements in infrastructure development

Since the founding of New China, after several generations of continuous struggle, China has built major iconic projects such as the Three Gorges Project, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Rail, South-to-North Water Transfer, West-East Gas Transfer, and West-East Electricity Transmission. The overall level of infrastructure has been improved by leaps and bounds, and great achievements have been made in the annals of remarkable history. Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, especially since the “14th Five-Year Plan”, China has achieved a number of world-leading achievements in major scientific and technological infrastructure, transportation, energy and water conservancy projects, information infrastructure, etc., profoundly changing people's conceptions of time and space, profoundly reshaping the spatial pattern of production and consumption, and profoundly expanding the space for industrial innovation. Pioneering infrastructure development has become a distinctive feature of the advantages of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics.

The scale advantage of the facility network is obvious. The total mileage of the integrated transportation network exceeds 6 million kilometers, the length of transmission lines of 220 kV and above is close to 960,000 kilometers, the mileage of the oil and gas pipeline network exceeds 190,000 kilometers, the total storage capacity of the reservoir exceeds 1 trillion cubic meters, and the total length of long-distance optical cable lines exceeds 1.12 million kilometers. The overall scale of infrastructure ranks first in the world, forming the advantage of hyperscale networks. The problems of total shortage and insufficient capacity have been effectively solved, which better meets the needs of economic and social development.

Service quality and efficiency have improved significantly. Passenger and cargo traffic, port throughput, power generation, and effective farmland irrigated area rank first in the world. The West-to-East transmission capacity exceeds 300 million kilowatts, and the direct beneficiaries of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project Phase I project reached 180 million people. High-speed railways cover 97% of cities with a population of 500,000 or more. The penetration rate of urban water and gas supply and sewage treatment is close to 100%, the reliability rate of rural power grid power supply exceeds 99.9%, and the tap water penetration rate has reached 94%.

Technological innovation capabilities have been greatly improved. Continuous breakthroughs have been achieved in fields such as high-speed railways, large span bridges, C919 domestic aircraft, UHV transmission, third-generation nuclear power, large-scale water conservancy projects, and next-generation mobile communications, etc., forming a large number of core technologies with independent intellectual property rights. The deployment of major scientific and technological infrastructure has been accelerated, and China's Tianyan, fully superconducting tokamak devices, and Shanghai Light Source have achieved world leadership. The level of infrastructure engineering construction, equipment manufacturing, and scientific and technological innovation continues to rise.

Smart green development is progressing steadily. Beidou, 5G, artificial intelligence, etc. enabled the iterative upgrading of traditional infrastructure. A number of intelligent projects such as the Beijing-Zhang intelligent high-speed railway and the Shanghai Yangshan Port automated terminal were completed and put into operation, and applications such as smart power plants and smart grids were promoted rapidly. The installed scale of renewable energy generation exceeds 1.8 billion kilowatts. Non-fossil energy accounts for 19.8% of primary energy consumption, and green facility operation and intensive resource utilization continue to advance.

The expansion of international connectivity. China-Europe trains reach 26 countries and 232 cities in Europe, and “Silk Road Shipping” reaches 150 ports in 48 countries and regions. The China-Laos Railway, Yawan High Speed Rail, Piraeus Port, and Qiankai Port have been completed and operated. The power business covers more than 150 countries and regions, and cross-border oil and gas pipelines between China and Central Asia, China, Russia, China and Myanmar have been completed and put into operation one after another and have achieved normal operation.

The achievement of these major achievements is fundamentally due to the leadership of the Party Central Committee, with Comrade Xi Jinping at the core, and Xi Jinping's ideological and scientific guidance of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era. In our work to build a modern infrastructure system, we insist on linking theory with practice and have accumulated valuable practical experience. The first is to adhere to the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee. Infrastructure investment is large-scale, the construction cycle is long, the technical difficulty is high, and the scope is wide. Under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee overseeing the overall situation and coordinating all parties, macro-control and overall arrangements have been strengthened, the enthusiasm and superior resources of all parties have been fully mobilized, and infrastructure development can be achieved by leaps and bounds in a relatively short period of time. The second is to adhere to the people-centered idea of development. Infrastructure has typical public goods and public service attributes. It must adhere to the purpose of serving the people wholeheartedly and continuously improve the quality and efficiency of infrastructure development. Each road, a bundle of cables, and a reservoir paved the way to prosperity and happiness, and the results of development continued to benefit the masses. The third is to insist on scientific preparation and effective implementation of plans. In the field of infrastructure, China has established a complete planning system divided into sectors and divided into timelines to achieve a blueprint to the end to ensure that there are rules to follow and proceed in an orderly manner. Fourth, adhere to an integrated and coordinated working method. Improve major infrastructure coordination mechanisms such as the Sichuan-Tibet Railway, the new land and sea corridors in the West, and the new Three Gorges Water Transport Corridor, take the lead, link up and down, coordinate left and right, comprehensively balance near-medium- and long-term demands, and promote the implementation of major projects with high quality.

3. Firmly promote the construction of the “15th Five-Year Plan” modern infrastructure system

During the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, a century of changes in the world accelerated, and breakthroughs in a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation accelerated. China's economy had a stable foundation, many advantages, strong resilience and great potential. The long-term support conditions and basic trends remained unchanged. Population, region, urban and rural development showed new characteristics and trends, which not only placed higher demands on expanding effective investment in infrastructure, promoting smooth economic circulation, and enhancing safety and security capabilities, but also created conditions for digital and intelligent upgrading and green transformation of the industry. Guided by Xi Jinping's ideology of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, we will thoroughly implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress and the 20th Plenary Session of the Party, adhere to the principles of moderately ahead of the curve and not too far ahead of schedule, promote the transformation of infrastructure from large-scale growth to comprehensive and high-quality development, accelerate the construction of a modern infrastructure system, and provide strong support for the great cause of strong nation building and national rejuvenation.

Improve the space layout. The focus is on strengthening the network, improving the breadth of network coverage, depth of access and the level of international connectivity, and expanding the strategic space for national development and security. In the field of transportation, build strategic backbone corridors such as coastal and riverside, exit and entry into Tibet, and new land and sea corridors in the west, improve transportation networks such as railways, highways, water transportation, civil aviation, etc., speed up the completion of traffic shortcomings in weak regions such as the west and borders, strengthen infrastructure renewal and digital intelligence transformation, and improve a diversified and resilient international transportation channel system. In the energy sector, improve channels such as west coal to east, west to east, west to east, and east Sichuan gas, etc., speed up the construction of a backbone network of UHV transmission channels, and steadily promote international connectivity of oil and gas pipelines. Promote the completion and commissioning of the “Shagowang” base, which has already been answered in the “14th Five-Year Plan”, plan a number of additional large bases mainly for export, promote the construction of the Yaxia Hydropower Project and the upper Lancang River hydropower base, etc., and promote the construction of offshore wind power base projects.

Optimizing the supply structure. Comprehensively balance infrastructure development needs with resource and environmental carrying capacity and financial affordability, accelerate the repair of shortcomings in traditional infrastructure, improve the quality and efficiency of existing infrastructure, and promote comprehensive green and low-carbon transformation. In the transportation sector, make good use of existing facility resources such as routes and stations, improve the overall efficiency of incremental facility construction, and fully implement modern maintenance projects. Optimize the supply of convenient passenger transport services, promote cost reduction, quality and efficiency in transportation and logistics, and improve the level of specialized transportation services. Promote the construction of zero-carbon transport corridors and stations, promote the application of clean energy transportation equipment, and strengthen ecological protection and resource conservation and intensive use. In the energy sector, we will continue to increase the share of new energy supply, promote the safe, reliable and orderly replacement of fossil energy, and focus on building new power systems. Accelerate the construction of a new energy supply and consumption system, coordinate all aspects of energy production, supply, storage and consumption, and improve energy supply stability and peak supply guarantee capacity. Actively develop nuclear power in a safe and orderly manner. The focus is on promoting the national green hydroammonia alcohol planning and layout, led by applications such as gray hydrogen replacement and green marine fuel.

Improve comprehensive functionality. It is guided by the implementation of major national strategies and security capacity building in key areas, guided by supporting high-quality economic development, and enriching and expanding infrastructure functions. In the transportation sector, improving the level of infrastructure connectivity and the quality and efficiency of transportation services, it strongly supports the implementation of coordinated regional development strategies, major regional development strategies, new urbanization strategies, and rural revitalization strategies. Strengthen transportation security in the strategic hinterland of the country, expand diversified international channel routes, and promote the full implementation of national defense requirements for major infrastructure. Develop the low-altitude economy, hub economy, and channel economy in an orderly manner, and cultivate an experiential economy for cruise yachts, car camps, etc. In the energy sector, we coordinate both domestic and international markets, optimize the import of energy resources, and encourage enterprises to go out in an orderly manner to participate in the construction of energy projects. Consolidate the ballast stone foundation for coal security and supply, and speed up the release of high-quality coal production capacity. Steadily increase physical reserves of coal, oil and natural gas. Promote the construction of a national coal-to-oil and gas strategic reserve base in an orderly manner.

Strengthen integration and integration. Guided by overall optimization, empowering and increasing efficiency, we will strengthen the efficient connection, co-construction and sharing of infrastructure, and promote digital transformation and intelligent upgrading. In the field of transportation, promote the integrated connection of various modes of transportation, accelerate the networking and integrated development of hubs, promote the integrated development of multi-level rail transit, strengthen the convenient connection between main line traffic and urban transportation, develop integrated passenger transport hubs, and improve the hub port station collection and evacuation system. Rational use of transportation facility space to build photovoltaic, energy storage and charging facilities, and optimize and enhance the flood prevention, water supply and power generation functions of shipping hydraulic hubs. Promote the digital transformation and upgrading of existing facilities and vigorously develop intelligent transportation. In the energy sector, we support the development and consumption of regions rich in new energy resources nearby, strengthen energy transmission across regions and autonomous balance within the region, and form a multi-energy complementary construction pattern. Encourage collaborative construction of national computing power hubs and clean energy bases. Accelerate the innovative development of green power parks, zero-carbon parks, smart microgrids, etc. Promote the iterative renewal of new energy power generation technology and R&D applications such as flexible DC transmission and intelligent scheduling in power grids, increase technical research on long-term energy storage, green power to produce hydroammonia alcohol, and nuclear fusion, and continue to promote technological applications such as ultra-supercritical and flexible transformation of coal power.

Strengthen safety and security. Implement the overall national security concept, strengthen infrastructure construction in key areas relating to national security, enhance infrastructure security capabilities, raise the level of emergency protection, and consolidate the foundation of national security and social stability. In the field of transportation, improve the transportation safety production responsibility system, and improve the investigation and rectification mechanism for hidden risks. Enhance the intrinsic safety of the industry, strengthen quality and safety supervision throughout the process, and strengthen project quality assurance and source management. Strengthen capacity building for prevention, resilience and rapid repair, and strengthen dynamic monitoring of risk sources throughout the process. Strengthen unified planning, coordination, and hierarchical classification management of emergency plans, and enhance emergency rescue capabilities. In the energy sector, strengthen local support power supply construction in megacities, strengthen emergency power supply guarantees for important users, and build strong local power grids. Strengthen safety protection for nuclear power plants, large-scale hydropower plants, hub substations, important converter stations, and important transmission channels, etc., and make redundant configurations and damage backup. Improve response mechanisms for large-scale power grid outages, and improve the ability to cope with extreme situations such as natural disasters, cyber attacks, physical attacks, and electromagnetic pulse attacks.

Deepen reform and innovation. Deepen reforms in key areas, market-based reforms, and investment and financing reforms, promote better integration between effective markets and promising governments, and continuously enhance the dynamism of infrastructure development. In the field of transportation, we will deepen the reform of the integrated transportation system, push forward the reform of the railway system, optimize the planning and construction management of local highways, and strengthen the reform of the air traffic control system. Improve market entry and exit mechanisms in key areas, and encourage and guide private enterprises to participate in construction and operation. Improve market-based transportation price adjustment mechanisms, promote independent operation of railway natural monopoly links and market-based reforms in competitive links, and optimize toll road policies. Accelerate the revision of transportation laws and other regulations, and improve regulations relating to autonomous driving. In the energy sector, establish a unified electricity market throughout the country, establish and improve a market-based electricity trading mechanism adapted to a high proportion and large-scale connection of new energy sources to power grids, and optimize the operation and scheduling mechanism for oil and gas pipelines. Consolidate the foundation of medium- and long-term contracts for energy insurance and supply, promptly improve major policies such as the entry of new energy into the market, direct green power connection, and capacity market construction, and strengthen the connection between the electricity market, the green power green license market, and the carbon market.

(Originally published in “Xi Jinping's Research on Economic Thought”, No. 11, 2025)

This article was edited by the National Development and Reform Commission, Zhitong Finance Editor: Chen Wenfang.