China is enhancing electricity access for troops stationed in remote mountainous regions as part of its military-civilian fusion strategy.

According to an official Chinese military newspaper, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has expanded power supply coverage to border outposts in harsh and high-altitude locations.

Earlier this month, PLA Daily reported that outposts in Xaidulla, located in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and Ngari Prefecture in Tibet Autonomous Region—both strategically significant areas along the disputed China-India border—were now fully integrated into the national power grid.

“The widespread use of electricity and renewable energy at these border posts provides crucial support for troops, ensuring warmth and safety during winter. This represents a structural transformation in energy security for all high-altitude border defense outposts,” the report stated.

“This initiative has resolved long-standing challenges for troops stationed in high-altitude regions, including difficulties in accessing drinking water, heating, bathing, and oxygen.”

Enhancing the power supply for border troops is a core aspect of China’s military-civilian fusion strategy. To advance this goal, the military and the National Energy Administration launched a project in late 2016 to build dedicated power grids for the military and connect them to the national energy network.

By January last year, over 700 border outposts had been integrated into the national grid, according to a previous PLA Daily report.

The publication also noted that a stable and efficient power supply had significantly boosted the functionality of battle equipment, command and control systems, and energy-intensive information devices, improving troops’ emergency response capabilities.

Xaidulla, situated at approximately 3,700 meters (12,139 feet) above sea level, is near Aksai Chin, a region at the center of a long-standing border dispute between China and India.

The deadliest clash between China and India in recent history occurred in 2020 in the Galwan Valley near Aksai Chin, resulting in the deaths of dozens of Indian troops and at least four Chinese soldiers. The skirmish severely strained bilateral relations, which have since improved following an agreement reached in October to de-escalate military tensions along the border.

Ngari Prefecture, located in western Tibet along the Indian border, is rich in mineral resources and serves as a key transport and logistics hub, making it strategically important as a gateway to South Asia.

The power supply upgrade aligns with Beijing’s broader efforts to modernize the PLA’s logistics and combat preparedness.

Earlier this month, PLA Daily also reported that the military had made significant improvements to the oxygen supply for soldiers deployed in high-altitude border areas.