The first set of photovoltaic arrays at the Xiaojinchuan River Basin solar power base in Sichuan province was connected to the grid on Wednesday, marking a breakthrough in the integrated development of clean energy storage systems in high-altitude regions.

The project is located on the western Sichuan plateau at an average elevation of 3,700 meters. It has a total installed solar capacity of 160 megawatts and is equipped with a 16 MW/32 MWh grid-forming energy storage system.

With an estimated average annual electricity output of 280 million kilowatt-hours, the project is able to meet the yearly electricity consumption of around 140,000 households, according to PowerChina Hydropower Development Group, the project's developer.

It is expected to save 87,000 metric tons of standard coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 262,500 tons per year, the company said.

The solar power base coordinates with a pumped-storage power station and three existing cascade hydropower stations in the area.

All solar panel arrays are installed 2 meters above the ground to protect the plateau grassland ecosystem and sustain the traditional livelihoods of local herders.

The project's remaining solar arrays are scheduled to be fully connected to the grid by the end of February, the company said.