Recently, the Development and Reform Commission of Hebei province issued a notice on organizing the application for green electricity direct connection projects.
The document stated that projects should be planned in accordance with the principles of safety priority, green friendliness, equal rights and responsibilities, and source-load matching, to steadily and orderly advance the green electricity direct connection initiative.
Priority support will be given to enterprises in key industries such as computing power, steel, cement, chemicals, hydrogen production, lithium-ion battery manufacturing, and biopharmaceuticals. Applications are divided into two categories: new loads and existing loads. New loads must complete approval (filing) and obtain environmental and energy assessment procedures, or secure land use approval. Existing loads eligible for green electricity direct connection mainly include the following two types: projects achieving clean energy substitution by reducing output from captive power plants (requiring full payment of the renewable energy development fund), and export-oriented enterprises with rigid carbon reduction needs.
The policies are as follows:
Notice of the Development and Reform Commission of Hebei Province on Organizing the Application for Green Electricity Direct Connection Projects
Ji Development and Reform Energy [2025] No. 879
To: Development and Reform Commissions (Bureaus) of cities (including Dingzhou and Xinji), Energy Bureau of Zhangjiakou City, Reform and Development Bureau of Xiongan New Area, State Grid Jibei Electric Power Co., Ltd., and State Grid Hebei Electric Power Co., Ltd.:
To implement the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and the decisions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on improving new energy consumption and regulation policies, accelerate the implementation of the provincial Party committee and government's requirements for a new-type energy powerhouse, promote local consumption of new energy, and in accordance with the "Notice of the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration on Orderly Promoting the Development of Green Electricity Direct Connection" (Development and Reform Energy [2025] No. 650), the application for green electricity direct connection projects is now being organized. Relevant matters are notified as follows.
I. General Requirements
Adhere to the goal of meeting enterprises' green energy needs and enhancing the level of local new energy consumption. Projects should be planned in accordance with the principles of safety priority, green friendliness, equal rights and responsibilities, and source-load matching, to steadily and orderly advance the green electricity direct connection initiative.
II. Application Requirements
Projects are divided into grid-connected and off-grid types based on whether the load is connected to the public power grid. Grid-connected projects are integrated into the public power grid as a whole, forming clear physical and responsibility boundaries with the public grid, and the power supply should be connected to the user side at the property demarcation point between the user and the public grid. Off-grid projects are not connected to the public grid and operate completely independently. Projects where a single new energy project supplies green electricity directly to multiple users are temporarily excluded from this application.
(1) Load Conditions. Priority will be given to supporting applications from enterprises in key industries such as computing power, steel, cement, chemicals, hydrogen production, lithium-ion battery manufacturing, and biomedical industries. These applications are specifically categorized into two types: new loads and existing loads. For new loads, approval (or registration) must be completed, and environmental impact assessment and energy assessment procedures must be obtained, or approval procedures for construction land must be obtained. For existing loads, the main types eligible for direct green electricity connection include the following two categories: projects that achieve clean energy substitution by reducing the output of captive power plants (which require full payment of the renewable energy development fund); and export-oriented enterprises with rigid carbon reduction demands.
(II) Power supply conditions. Priority will be given to supporting applications for direct green electricity connection from projects that have been included in the reserve library of wind power and PV projects. New energy projects that have not yet commenced grid connection engineering construction or are unable to connect to the grid due to limited new energy consumption capacity are encouraged to undergo change procedures and then carry out direct green electricity connection. New energy projects such as wind power, PV, and biomass power generation can be planned around load centers for application as direct green electricity connection projects.
(III) Source-load matching. Grid-connected projects should scientifically determine the type and installed capacity of new energy power sources in accordance with the principle of "determining the source based on the load". The proportion of on-grid electricity from grid-connected projects in the total available power generation should not exceed 20%. In the northern Hebei power grid area, before the spot market operates continuously, reverse power transmission to the public power grid is prohibited. The proportion of annual self-generated and self-consumed new energy electricity in the total available power generation for the entire project should not be less than 60%, and the proportion in the total electricity consumption should not be less than 30%, increasing to no less than 35% by 2030. In principle, the load serves as the main responsible unit for direct green electricity connection projects. The power source can be invested by the load entity, or by power generation enterprises or a joint venture established by both parties. The load enterprise must bear the power operation risks on its own. If the project's power source and load do not have the same investor, a multi-year power purchase agreement or an energy management contract should be signed, and relevant matters should be clarified in accordance with national regulations.
(IV) Grid connection. Grid-connected projects should configure secondary systems and internal facilities in accordance with national requirements and standards to ensure safe and reliable grid connection without affecting the safe and stable operation of the power grid. The voltage level for project connection should not exceed 220 kV. If connection to 220 kV is deemed necessary, the provincial Development and Reform Commission, in conjunction with the North China Regulatory Bureau of the National Energy Administration, should organize provincial power grid companies, project units, etc., to conduct a special assessment of power system safety risks. In principle, the investment for direct connection dedicated lines should be borne by the load and power source entities, and crossings of lines should be minimized as much as possible. If crossings are necessary, safety measures should be implemented. Direct connection lines and access systems should be well coordinated with power grid and territorial space planning according to voltage levels.
(V) Construction sequence. Projects should arrange their construction sequences reasonably. For grid-connected projects with new loads, the power source and direct connection engineering should be put into operation simultaneously with the load. For projects involving existing loads, the power source and direct connection engineering should commence construction within one year after project approval and be put into operation within three years.
(VI) Project Benefits. The project should have good economic and social benefits, effectively reducing the electricity costs for enterprises, improving the absorption level of new energy, and promoting the green development of the local economy. Projects are encouraged to adopt advanced technologies and equipment to improve energy utilization efficiency and reduce environmental pollution.
III. Application Procedures
(I) Scheme Preparation. Energy authorities at the municipal and county levels shall guide project applicants in preparing an integrated scheme that includes power supply load, direct connection lines, and the access system (see Annex 1 for the scheme preparation outline). The scheme shall clarify the site layout, installed capacity, construction arrangements, land utilization, ecological and environmental protection, etc. A dedicated section shall assess source-load matching, system risks, electricity safety, power quality, etc., propose specific technical measures, and fulfill land use conditions. For a single user matching multiple power supplies, a unified project scheme shall be prepared and submitted as a green electricity direct connection project.
(II) Project Application. After the energy authorities at the municipal level, together with relevant departments, review and approve the project implementation scheme within their jurisdiction, they shall submit it to the Provincial Development and Reform Commission along with the project application request, application form (see Annex 2), implementation scheme, and relevant materials, accompanied by supporting documents related to the load project, by September 30th. Newly planned power supply projects shall include opinions from the municipal-level natural resources, forestry and grassland, and agricultural departments, as well as kml coordinates (see Annex 3 for the template of the above supporting opinions). Direct connection lines shall include preliminary review supporting opinions issued by the county-level energy authorities.
(III) Implementation Scheme Review. The Provincial Development and Reform Commission will organize third-party institutions to review the implementation scheme and the construction conditions of the power supply project. Projects that meet the conditions will be approved for implementation and included in the annual development and construction scheme for wind power and PV, occupying the local wind power and PV resource volume without occupying the guidance scale of the 2025 annual development and construction scheme for wind power and PV in each city.
IV. Organizational Guarantees
(I) Optimize Approval Procedures. All regions are encouraged to provide "one-stop" services based on actual conditions to expedite the handling of project approval (registration), planning permits, land use, environmental impact assessments, water and soil conservation, power grid access, and other procedures. The approval and management procedures for project initiation and approval (registration) of sub-projects such as power supply and load included in direct connection projects shall be carried out in accordance with existing management regulations. Corresponding approval (registration) procedures shall be completed before the commencement of self-built power grid projects. For power supply projects that involve changes and have already been approved (registered), approval (registration) changes may be carried out in accordance with the approval documents of the Provincial Development and Reform Commission.
(II) Ensure Construction Acceptance. Projects shall promptly organize completion acceptance. The energy authorities of each city shall supervise project entities to promptly apply for acceptance inspections from relevant institutions such as quality inspection agencies, power grid companies, and construction authorities for power supply and direct connection projects. Only after passing the acceptance inspections can the projects be put into operation or connected to the grid. The completion acceptance reports shall be submitted to the provincial energy authorities and dispatched institutions of the National Energy Administration. Before the grid connection of newly added loads, acceptance inspections shall be carried out in accordance with relevant industry regulations.
(III) Solidifying responsibilities of all parties. The municipal energy authorities shall coordinate the full alignment of direct connection projects with relevant local plans, supervise project entities to accelerate project construction, and strengthen safety operation supervision. Power grid enterprises and project entities shall strictly implement relevant national requirements, and solidly carry out various tasks such as safety management, power grid access, dispatching operation, responsibility division, market transactions, and standardized metering. Green electricity direct connection projects shall pay relevant fees in accordance with relevant national policies and regulations.
(IV) Project exit mechanism. If a green electricity direct connection project experiences load interruption, it shall promptly match new existing loads or newly added loads. During the load interruption period, the proportion of on-grid electricity for grid-connected projects shall not exceed 20%. If new loads cannot be matched within two years, the municipal energy authorities may report to the Provincial Development and Reform Commission, and the provincial power grid company shall reassess the conditions for power grid access and grid connection and consumption of the power supply project. Projects that meet the conditions may be converted into ordinary new energy projects to ensure the operational stability of power investment entities.
During the project implementation process, if there are adjustments to national policies, the latest national policies shall be followed.
Contact information: 0311-88600314
Email: nyjxnyc@hbdrc.gov.cn
Attachments: 1. Reference outline for the preparation of the implementation plan for green electricity direct connection projects
2. Application form for green electricity direct connection projects in Hebei province
3. Template for supportive opinions or relevant explanations for power supply projects
Hebei Provincial Development and Reform Commission
August 4, 2025
