In an energy system centered on capital, no one is willing to pay for long-term investment. If there"s not enough electricity, just raise the price — raise it until you can"t afford it, and the demand will naturally fall. This purely capital-driven logic often comes at the expense of ordinary people.

　　China is taking a fundamentally different path.

　　Consider this figure: In 2025, China"s total electricity consumption exceeded 10 trillion kilowatt-hours, ranking No.1 in the world and more than double that of the US. In July and August 2025, electricity consumption exceeded 1 trillion kWh for two consecutive months, setting a world record. Yet, there were no power cuts or price hikes.

　　How does China actually manage to do this?

　　China treated electricity as a public good, guided by the principle of "inclusive benefit." The vision is underpinned by 46 ultra-high-voltage transmission projects, which have created major corridors for west-to-east power transmission and north-south power supply.

　　The "East Data, West Computing" initiative optimizes this model by situating data centers directly in areas rich in green electricity. It transforms the wind and light of the west into computing power, which is then delivered globally via fiber-optic networks. At the same time, breakthroughs have been made in million-kilowatt hydropower stations, advanced nuclear power units and heavy-duty gas turbines in the power reserves.

　　What"s truly remarkable about all this is not just a single line or a single power station, but a system capable of mobilizing resources to accomplish major initiatives. It"s not that the US doesn"t know its grid needs upgrading; it"s that no one in the market is willing to foot the bill or wait for the long-term return.