BUSINESS / PRESS RELEASE
Suzhou named a top-tier city for business-related electricity services
On November 9, the National Energy Administration released a set of exemplary cases highlighting the development of a modernized business environment for electricity services. Suzhou was recognized as a top-tier city with strong international competitiveness in this area - one of the only five cities nationwide to receive this distinction. Suzhou is the only ordinary prefecture-level city, and the only city in Jiangsu Province, to be included on the list.
Enterprises have felt the direct benefits of faster electricity connection processes. State Grid Suzhou Power Supply Company has championed the "Three Zeros" (zero investment, zero approval, and zero on-site visits) and "Three Savings" (saving money, time, and effort) service model. Additionally, it pioneered a national shift by raising the low-voltage connection capacity threshold from 160 kW to 200 kW, benefiting over 810,000 users, including small and micro-enterprises. Furthermore, the company has achieved full coverage of "on-demand power connection" (ready-to-use power) across industrial parks at or above the provincial level. In 20 emergency-ready demonstration zones, power distribution networks were extended to undeveloped plots in advance, reducing the average time required for power connection by more than 30 days. The company also introduced innovative service models such as "all-electric sharing" and "tiered power connection," successfully facilitating power supply for 80 major provincial and municipal projects within the year.
While streamlining electricity connection processes, the city has simultaneously strengthened its power supply capacity. Suzhou generates 2.1 percent of China's total GDP while occupying only 0.09 percent of the nation's land; the load density in its industrial parks is comparable to that of Shanghai's core business districts. State Grid Suzhou Power Supply Company adopted a planning strategy based on "load density," upgrading the city's power grid planning standards from the outset. The company launched a comprehensive initiative to "eliminate weaknesses and enhance quality" within the power grid, introduced the province's first plan to resolve conflicts between trees and power lines, and established a rapid-response repair network - ensuring a 20-minute response time for the main grid and 15 minutes for the distribution network - thereby significantly bolstering the grid's resilience against typhoons. In 2025, the average duration of power outages per household across the city fell to under half an hour - a 65.57 percent year-on-year decrease for the period from January to September. During the recent impact of Typhoon Dolphin, the company mobilized over 2,100 personnel for continuous emergency repairs, rapidly restoring power to residents.
A commitment to a green, low-carbon future serves as a core guiding principle. State Grid Suzhou Power Supply Company has partnered with the Industrial Park Administrative Committee and the Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange to establish a "carbon inclusive" service system for Suzhou. This system offers end-to-end support, including carbon neutrality certification; to date, it has engaged over 600 enterprises and facilitated the trading of more than 190,000 tons of carbon emission reductions.
Service is also woven into the very fabric of the city. In the Pingjiang Historic and Cultural District, efforts to move overhead power lines underground have continued, complemented by site-specific, hand-painted aesthetic treatments. Over 410 power facilities have been discreetly integrated into the landscape - blending into white walls and the shadows of trees - while 438 protected historic buildings receive regular "electrical health check-ups." The company has also pioneered the nation's first "shared charging robots," now deployed across 53 locations and covering 7,000 parking spaces. Additionally, the province's first integrated "solar-storage-charging" facility for electric bicycles now serves more than 50,000 local residents.
This top-tier power service is rooted in a deep, "red" revolutionary heritage. Since 2021, State Grid Suzhou Power Supply Company has organized the "Su-Gong Xin-Huo" (Suzhou Power "Spark of Legacy") volunteer team. In collaboration with the Bureau of Veterans Affairs, local universities and other partners, the company has built a three-tiered (city, county, and township) operational framework. This initiative has systematically compiled the records of 2,797 revolutionary martyrs across the city, documenting their life stories, heroic deeds, and family genealogies - a collection totaling over 2.1 million words.
"Suzhou's recognition as a city with a first-class business environment for electricity access further burnishes its reputation as a premier destination for business, serving as a shining credential for the city's high-quality economic development and investment attraction efforts," said Lu Chenjun, deputy director of the Suzhou Municipal Development and Reform Commission. He added that Suzhou will continue to enhance its "getting electricity" services, providing a powerful boost to local economic and social development.
Photo: State Grid Suzhou Power Supply Company
Enterprises have felt the direct benefits of faster electricity connection processes. State Grid Suzhou Power Supply Company has championed the "Three Zeros" (zero investment, zero approval, and zero on-site visits) and "Three Savings" (saving money, time, and effort) service model. Additionally, it pioneered a national shift by raising the low-voltage connection capacity threshold from 160 kW to 200 kW, benefiting over 810,000 users, including small and micro-enterprises. Furthermore, the company has achieved full coverage of "on-demand power connection" (ready-to-use power) across industrial parks at or above the provincial level. In 20 emergency-ready demonstration zones, power distribution networks were extended to undeveloped plots in advance, reducing the average time required for power connection by more than 30 days. The company also introduced innovative service models such as "all-electric sharing" and "tiered power connection," successfully facilitating power supply for 80 major provincial and municipal projects within the year.
Photo: State Grid Suzhou Power Supply Company
While streamlining electricity connection processes, the city has simultaneously strengthened its power supply capacity. Suzhou generates 2.1 percent of China's total GDP while occupying only 0.09 percent of the nation's land; the load density in its industrial parks is comparable to that of Shanghai's core business districts. State Grid Suzhou Power Supply Company adopted a planning strategy based on "load density," upgrading the city's power grid planning standards from the outset. The company launched a comprehensive initiative to "eliminate weaknesses and enhance quality" within the power grid, introduced the province's first plan to resolve conflicts between trees and power lines, and established a rapid-response repair network - ensuring a 20-minute response time for the main grid and 15 minutes for the distribution network - thereby significantly bolstering the grid's resilience against typhoons. In 2025, the average duration of power outages per household across the city fell to under half an hour - a 65.57 percent year-on-year decrease for the period from January to September. During the recent impact of Typhoon Dolphin, the company mobilized over 2,100 personnel for continuous emergency repairs, rapidly restoring power to residents.
Photo: State Grid Suzhou Power Supply Company
A commitment to a green, low-carbon future serves as a core guiding principle. State Grid Suzhou Power Supply Company has partnered with the Industrial Park Administrative Committee and the Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange to establish a "carbon inclusive" service system for Suzhou. This system offers end-to-end support, including carbon neutrality certification; to date, it has engaged over 600 enterprises and facilitated the trading of more than 190,000 tons of carbon emission reductions.
Photo: State Grid Suzhou Power Supply Company
Service is also woven into the very fabric of the city. In the Pingjiang Historic and Cultural District, efforts to move overhead power lines underground have continued, complemented by site-specific, hand-painted aesthetic treatments. Over 410 power facilities have been discreetly integrated into the landscape - blending into white walls and the shadows of trees - while 438 protected historic buildings receive regular "electrical health check-ups." The company has also pioneered the nation's first "shared charging robots," now deployed across 53 locations and covering 7,000 parking spaces. Additionally, the province's first integrated "solar-storage-charging" facility for electric bicycles now serves more than 50,000 local residents.
This top-tier power service is rooted in a deep, "red" revolutionary heritage. Since 2021, State Grid Suzhou Power Supply Company has organized the "Su-Gong Xin-Huo" (Suzhou Power "Spark of Legacy") volunteer team. In collaboration with the Bureau of Veterans Affairs, local universities and other partners, the company has built a three-tiered (city, county, and township) operational framework. This initiative has systematically compiled the records of 2,797 revolutionary martyrs across the city, documenting their life stories, heroic deeds, and family genealogies - a collection totaling over 2.1 million words.
"Suzhou's recognition as a city with a first-class business environment for electricity access further burnishes its reputation as a premier destination for business, serving as a shining credential for the city's high-quality economic development and investment attraction efforts," said Lu Chenjun, deputy director of the Suzhou Municipal Development and Reform Commission. He added that Suzhou will continue to enhance its "getting electricity" services, providing a powerful boost to local economic and social development.
