https://j.people.com.cn/n3/2025/0611/c95952-20326193.html

Construction began on the Tushuo 100 MW solar power plant, located in Amdo County, Nagqu City, Tibet Autonomous Region, China, on the 10th. This is the autonomous region’s first tower-type solar power plant, and after completion, the average annual power generation will reach 260 million kilowatt-hours (kWh). The plant is located on the Tibet Plateau at an altitude of 4650 meters. The local area has an annual sunshine time of more than 2,800 hours, making it an extremely abundant solar resource.

The project uses molten salt tower solar thermal technology. 800,000 square meters of heliostats reflect sunlight onto the heat receiving tower and heat the molten salt to 560 degrees Celsius. The high-temperature molten salt is used for countercurrent heat exchange to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy, providing sustainable and stable clean energy.

The construction of the plant will face harsh environmental conditions such as strong winds, extreme cold, low oxygen, and strong ultraviolet rays.

The plant’s molten salt tower solar thermal power generation system can also release and store thermal energy during times when there is no sunlight, ensuring continuity of power generation and enabling stable power output. The plant is scheduled to be connected to the grid and begin generating electricity in October 2026. It will increase the power supply capacity of the Zangbei Power Grid by approximately 200,000 kilowatts (kW), alleviating the local power shortage.