The State Grid Corp of China (SGCC), the country's largest power supplier, said it would invest 31.3 billion yuan this year to upgrade its power grid.

This will be an increase of 30.1 percent over 2008. A significant chunk of the money would go for projects in Northwest China. About 13.9 billion yuan, accounting for 44.4 percent of the total amount, would go towards construction of 750-kV power grids in Northwest China, and connecting the major power grids there with local grids in the Xinjiang Uygur and Tibet autonomous regions.

Besides, the company also plans to start construction of 11,015-km of 110-kV and above 110-kV power transmission and substation lines, while 8,843 km of power lines will be put into operation within the year.