XINING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China's first ultra high-voltage power superhighway for transmitting clean energy has been approved, with construction to start in the second half of the year.

The 800-kilovolt direct current transmission line will extend 1,600 km across five provinces, from the Qinghai plateau in the northwest to densely populated Henan in central China, according to the State Grid, Qinghai branch.

Qinghai has a large solar power capacity, reaching 9.53 million kilowatts at the end of 2017, accounting for 37.5 percent of its total power capacity.

Shu Yinbiao, chair of the State Grid, said the power line will use Qinghai's advantage in clean energy resources for industrial upgrades and raise the amount of clean electricity used in Henan.