China's first long-distance cross-sea ultrahigh voltage project has been approved for construction in the country's southernmost Hainan Province, according to sources with China Southern Power Grid.

The project, with the approval of the State Development and Reform Commission, will connect Hainan Power Grid with China Southern Power Grid, with a total investment of some 1.2 billion yuan (148 million US dollars), the second preceded by a similar project in Canada.

It would be China's first 500-kv, cross-sea project of power grid interconnection, released by Hainan Power Grid, a fully-funded subsidiary of China Southern Power Grid.

The total length of the cable is 178 km, with 34 km under the sea between Hainan and Guangdong. Hainan, China's southernmost island province, suffered a large-scale blackout triggered by the typhoon of Damrey at the end of October.

The interconnection project, to enhance the security of the power grid in Hainan, will be finished and go into use in July of 2007.

Source: Xinhua