Preventing "Land Hoarding Without Construction"! Shanxi Publicizes New-Type Energy Storage Project Delay Standards

Recently, to further standardize project management, strengthen planning guidance, resolutely prevent "land enclosure without construction," effectively revitalize power grid connection resources, and ensure the implementation of high-quality projects, the Energy Bureau of Shanxi Province issued a notice on optimizing the management of new-type energy storage projects.

The notice sets a time red line. Projects must substantively commence construction within six months after being included in the repository and be completed and connected to the grid within twelve months. Projects adjusted out of the repository must obtain a real estate ownership certificate and substantively commence construction to re-enter, and they must be completed and connected to the grid within six months. If a project in the repository fails to substantively commence construction within six months or fails to be completed and connected to the grid within twelve months without applying for an extension, the project shall be adjusted out of the repository.

If a project in the repository cannot be completed and connected to the grid on schedule, provided that no less than 30% of the project's fixed asset investment recorded in statistics has been completed, the project entity may submit an extension application to the municipal energy bureau two months before the repository period expires. The municipal energy bureau shall organize a rigorous preliminary review of the project's construction progress and report to the provincial energy bureau for re-examination. In principle, projects in the repository may be extended only once. The extended grid connection period for electrochemical energy storage projects shall not exceed six months; for energy storage projects with longer construction cycles, such as compressed air and flow battery projects, the extended grid connection period shall not exceed twelve months.

Energy Bureau of Shanxi Province

Notice on Optimizing the Management of New-Type Energy Storage Projects

Jin Neng Yuan Xin Neng Yuan Fa [2026] No. 106

To municipal energy bureaus, the Management Committee of Shanxi Transformation and Comprehensive Reform Demonstration Zone, State Grid Shanxi Electric Power Co., Ltd., Shanxi Local Electric Power Co., Ltd., and relevant entities:

In accordance with the "Special Action Plan for the Large-Scale Construction of New-Type Energy Storage (2025-2027)" (Fa Gai Neng Yuan [2025] No. 1144) issued by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the National Energy Administration, and considering the actual development of new-type energy storage in our province, to further standardize project management, strengthen planning guidance, resolutely prevent "land enclosure without construction," effectively revitalize power grid connection resources, and ensure the implementation of high-quality projects, the relevant matters are hereby notified as follows:

I. Optimizing the Management of New-Type Energy Storage Projects

(I) Project Repository Management

Newly declared projects for repository inclusion shall have land sited in compliant existing stock construction land (excluding land lease and land transfers where the real estate ownership certificate has not been obtained) or have obtained a land pre-examination and site selection opinion letter. Projects must substantively commence construction within six months after being included in the repository and be completed and connected to the grid within twelve months. Projects adjusted out of the repository must obtain a real estate ownership certificate and substantively commence construction to re-enter, and they must be completed and connected to the grid within six months.

(II) Change of Project Technical Route

If a project in the repository applies to change its technical route or capacity, synchronous adjustments to the energy storage unit type and capacity (duration) are permitted, but the total project power must not be changed. Where a change of technical route is truly necessary, in principle, the application should be filed during the dynamic adjustment period of the project repository. The change materials shall undergo a rigorous preliminary review by the municipal energy bureau before being reported to the provincial energy bureau for re-examination. The project's repository inclusion time shall not be recalculated.

(III) Extension for Projects Under Construction in the Repository

If a project in the repository cannot be completed and connected to the grid on schedule, provided that no less than 30% of the project's fixed asset investment recorded in statistics has been completed, the project entity may submit an extension application to the municipal energy bureau two months before the repository period expires. The municipal energy bureau shall organize a rigorous preliminary review of the project's construction progress and report to the provincial energy bureau for re-examination. In principle, projects in the repository may be extended only once. The extended grid connection period for electrochemical energy storage projects shall not exceed six months; for energy storage projects with longer construction cycles, such as compressed air and flow battery projects, the extended grid connection period shall not exceed twelve months.

(IV) Project Withdrawal Management from Repository

If a project in the repository fails to substantively commence construction within six months or fails to be completed and connected to the grid within twelve months without applying for an extension, the project shall be adjusted out of the repository. Municipal energy bureaus shall conduct on-site verification on a quarterly basis for projects that failed to start or enter operation on schedule, propose opinions on adjusting them out of the repository, and report to the provincial energy bureau. Effective from the date of the issuance of the withdrawal document, the grid connection-related statuses of the withdrawn project (including obtained connection approvals and accepted connection applications) automatically become invalid and are terminated, and the originally occupied connection resources shall be released.

II. Providing Grid Connection Services

Power grid enterprises shall synchronously ensure the coordination of outgoing line projects for new-type energy storage, engage in full communication and alignment with project entities, accelerate work such as the approval of connection system designs and the construction of supporting grid connection projects, further optimize connection processes, simplify grid connection procedure handling, and ensure timely grid-connected operation of projects. Joint outgoing line construction is encouraged for projects that meet the conditions, and municipal energy bureaus shall take the lead in coordinating and promoting the construction of project joint outgoing line projects.

III. Strengthening Safety Management

(I) All project investment and construction entities shall firmly establish the concept of safe development, regard ensuring safety as an important prerequisite for developing new-type energy storage, strictly implement the "Three Simultaneities" regulations for construction project safety facilities, and strengthen the safety management of new-type energy storage. When handling project filing, the project entity shall clearly specify its primary responsibility for work safety in the filing document and consciously accept safety supervision from relevant departments.

(II) The construction of new-type energy storage projects shall comply with relevant management regulations and standards and specifications. Entities undertaking project design, consulting, construction, and supervision shall possess the corresponding qualifications as stipulated by the state. Major equipment shall meet the requirements of relevant standards and specifications, pass testing and certification by appropriately qualified institutions, and grid-related equipment shall comply with technical requirements for safe power grid operation. Relevant entities shall strictly fulfill project safety, fire protection, environmental protection, and other related management procedures according to relevant laws, regulations, and technical specifications, and implement the primary responsibility for work safety.

(III) When filing a project, the project filing authority shall clearly define the project entity's primary responsibility for work safety in the filing document and implement the responsibility for project safety supervision. Municipal energy bureaus shall thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions and instructions on work safety, strengthen the safety production management of energy storage projects, improve safety production management systems, increase supervision and inspection efforts for key aspects of new-type energy storage projects, regularly conduct thorough and in-depth risk and hazard identification and rectification, resolutely fortify the safety production defense line, and jointly promote the safe and high-quality development of the industry.

IV. Other Requirements

(I) Adjustments to the new-type energy storage project repository shall, in principle, be organized no fewer than twice per year.

(II) Municipal energy bureaus, together with local power grid companies, shall, on a quarterly basis, conduct bottom-up surveys and updates on the available connection capacity scale within each county (district) in the administrative region, the bay level situation at substations (including enterprise self-built step-up substations), and the bay level occupancy situation by approved new-type energy storage projects, so as to scientifically and reasonably determine the declared scale.

(III) Municipal energy bureaus shall establish management ledgers for the energy storage project repository, strictly implement preliminary review of the project repository, issue written verification opinions, and propose opinions on project adjustment out of the repository according to relevant requirements.

(IV) The substantive commencement of a project is marked by the pouring of the first can of concrete for the foundations of important facilities such as the step-up substation, main control building, and energy storage system.

(V) This notice shall be implemented from September 1, 2026. Where previous relevant provisions are inconsistent with this notice, this notice shall prevail.