The Inner Mongolia autonomous region is stepping up efforts to transform itself from one of China's largest traditional energy bases into a greener, more efficient and export-oriented energy powerhouse, officials said at a news conference in Hohhot on Tuesday.

"As the country's key national energy and strategic resource base, during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), we will focus on four major priorities to continue serving as the bedrock of national energy supply and security," said Huang Zhiqiang, the region's executive vice-chairman.

The four priorities — ensuring stable supply, expanding electricity exports, upgrading energy into higher-value industrial output and fostering market, infrastructure and policy innovation — reflect a broader push to strengthen Inner Mongolia's role in the national energy system.

On the supply front, Huang said Inner Mongolia will maintain coal production capacity at around 1.3 billion metric tons by expanding, upgrading and reserving output, while safeguarding national energy security.

The region starts from a position of scale.

Inner Mongolia ranked number one nationwide in coal supply support, with more than 500 billion tons of coal reserves, about one-third of China's total.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), it produced 6.1 billion tons of coal, with more than 85 percent used for supply support.

Power transmission is another central pillar.

During the same period, Inner Mongolia transmitted more than 1.2 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity to other regions through 17 ultrahigh voltage and major transmission lines.

Building on this foundation, the region is moving to expand and optimize its power export system. It will rely on its abundant wind and solar resources — accounting for about a quarter of the national total — and accelerate construction of nine large-scale desert energy bases along with their transmission channels, Huang said.

Officials also highlighted recent progress in ultrahigh-voltage grid development.

According to Gong Qingshen, general manager of the State Grid Inner Mongolia Eastern Electric Power Co, the region has established eight UHV transmission channels — "five AC and three DC" — linking Inner Mongolia with Tianjin, Shanxi and Jiangsu provinces, forming a major north-south corridor for outbound electricity.

By the end of the quarter, cumulative outbound UHV transmission had exceeded 880 billion kWh, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of about 290 million households, while cutting carbon dioxide emissions by more than 730 million tons, the company said.

By the end of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, annual outbound electricity transmission is expected to exceed 400 billion kWh, including more than 200 billion kWh generated from renewable sources, Huang said.

Beyond transmission, Inner Mongolia is also seeking to convert more of its energy resources into higher-value industrial output.

On the traditional side, Huang said the region aims to build the country's largest modern coal-chemical base, covering coal-to-oil and gas projects, high-end polyolefins and carbon-based new materials.

At the same time, new-energy industries are gaining momentum. Officials pointed to developments in hydrogen, green chemical feedstocks, sustainable aviation fuel and zero-carbon data parks in Horinger county and the Jining district of Ulaanqab.

These projects are designed to strengthen the integration of computing power and energy, converting green electricity into computing capacity and digital outputs.