China has completed the grid connection of what it claims is the world’s largest open-sea solar power plant, further underlining the country’s rapid pace in building large and complex energy projects. State-owned China Energy Investment Corporation, also known as CHN Energy, announced that its 1 GW offshore photovoltaic project off the coast of Shandong province is now fully connected to the power grid.
The solar facility is located around eight kilometres from the Kenli district in Dongying city, in eastern China. Unlike floating solar plants seen in lakes and reservoirs, this project is built on steel truss platforms that are fixed to the seabed using piles. The water depth in the area ranges from one to four metres, allowing the structures to be firmly anchored to the sea floor.
The project, officially known as the Shandong Dongying Kenli Guohua HG14 project, is being developed by Guohua Energy Investment, a subsidiary of CHN Energy. China State Construction Engineering Corporation has been responsible for installation work and has so far completed 930 platforms out of a total of 2,934 planned. Each platform is supported by four piles, creating a stable base for the solar panels in offshore conditions.
Spanning about 1,223 hectares of open sea, the project represents a major investment in offshore solar. The total investment has been estimated at around CNY 8.1 billion, or roughly USD 1.16 billion. CHN Energy has reportedly upgraded the design during construction, switching to stronger bifacial double-glass solar modules rated at 710 W. Once fully completed, the plant is expected to generate around 1.78 TWh of electricity annually.
The offshore solar plant is connected to the mainland grid through a 66 kV power cable. The first section of the grid connection became operational in November 2024. In addition to solar generation, the project also includes a battery energy storage system with a power rating of 100 MW and an energy capacity of 200 MWh, aimed at improving grid stability and managing power fluctuations.
In recent weeks, CHN Energy has also commissioned several other large energy projects across China. In Xinjiang’s Qitai county, close to the Mongolian border, the company brought a 600 MW solar power plant online. Another major project, a 425 MW solar plant in Gonghe county in Qinghai province, forms part of a larger 1 GW solar-plus-storage development. This facility is located at an elevation of around 3,000 metres, highlighting China’s push to deploy solar even in challenging environments.
Beyond renewables, CHN Energy recently completed the final 1 GW unit of its coal-fired Guangxi Beihai Power Plant and commissioned the first unit of its Anji gas power plant in Zhejiang. Together, these developments reflect the company’s continued expansion across multiple energy technologies.
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