Cooperative electric energy transmission between Central Asia and Pakistan

Abstract Through the long-distance transmission of electric energy, global interconnected power grids have become promising for the decarbonization of the power systems nowadays. However, the implementation of an extremely large-scale system may be controversial because practical examples are rare. In this paper, the interconnected power system among Central Asia; Xinjiang, China; and Pakistan is used as a testbed to analyze the feasibility of the multinational interconnections. Based on the increased electricity generation in Central Asia and the increased power shortage in Pakistan, the complementation between generation and consumption in the two areas can be established. Then, the use of the classic Central Asian power grid (CAPG) in the former Soviet Union is analyzed. Following the extension of the local grids in Central Asia; the upgrade of the Xinjiang power grid; and the construction of the CASA-1000 HVDC project, a new CAPG (NCAPG) that connects the Central Asian countries; Xinjiang, China and Pakistan, with four HVDC lines is formed. The NCAPG is entirely different from the classic CAPG because it is fully based on the voluntary participation, operational independence, and the operation security of the member grids. The NCAPG shows potential in the multinational electric energy transmission among Central Asia; Xinjiang, China; and Pakistan in the foreseeable future.