China Launches First Power Industry Satellite to Boost Grid Monitoring and Safety
China has launched its first remote-sensing satellite dedicated to the power industry, designed to strengthen monitoring and maintenance of the country’s vast electricity transmission network. The development marks a significant step in using space technology to enhance the safety, efficiency and resilience of China’s power grid.
Precision Monitoring for Critical Infrastructure
The satellite, named Jixing High-Resolution 07D01, was launched at 12:03 local time on Wednesday from the Dongfeng commercial space innovation pilot zone near the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. Carried by a domestic rocket, it successfully entered orbit to begin operations.
With a spatial resolution finer than 0.5 metres, the satellite can capture detailed images of key power infrastructure, including transmission lines, pylons and substations. It will be used to manage ultra-high-voltage (UHV) projects, assess environmental impacts, inspect power corridors and support disaster prevention and recovery.
“Once the satellite is operational, it can be applied to 19 categories of scenarios in the future,” said Yang Zhi, director of the Power Engineering Satellite Application Centre. “It will support hydropower transmission from southwest China, environmental and water conservation monitoring, intelligent inspection of transmission lines, and disaster prevention and mitigation.”
Advanced Capabilities for Disaster Response
According to the State Grid Electric Power Engineering Research Institute, which helped design the satellite, Jixing High-Resolution 07D01 can conduct continuous east–west strip observations covering over 200 kilometres of transmission corridors in one pass.
“This satellite improves the precision of transmission line surveys and inspections by approximately fivefold,” said Liu Qianwei, president of the institute. “For corridor monitoring and disaster prediction, efficiency is enhanced up to sevenfold. Its ability to observe east–west oriented corridors will greatly strengthen emergency response and design capabilities.”
The satellite’s imagery will allow real-time evaluation of grid conditions, including damage caused by extreme weather events such as storms, floods and landslides. It is also expected to play a key role in assessing the safety of UHV transmission projects that deliver renewable energy from China’s western regions to the industrialised east.
Expanding China’s Power Satellite Network
China’s power authorities plan to launch between 15 and 20 additional power grid monitoring satellites between 2026 and 2030. Together, they will form a comprehensive satellite-based system to support the modernisation and digitalisation of the national electricity infrastructure.
The initiative aligns with China’s broader strategy to integrate aerospace technology into industrial operations, bolstering national energy security and ensuring stable power supply as the country transitions to greener sources.
with inputs from Reuters
