Jinhong Cable Powers China‘s First GWh-Scale Sodium-Ion Battery Gigafactory in Bazhong

Client: Naxin New Energy Technology (Bazhong) Co., Ltd.
Location: Bazhong Economic Development Zone, Sichuan Province, China
Project: 1.5 GWh Intelligent Mass Production Line for Cylindrical Sodium-ion Batteries
Scope: Supply of power distribution cables for the industrial park
Cable Supplier: Anhui Jinhong Wire and Cable Group

The Bazhong base houses China’s first gigawatt-hour (GWh) scale intelligent production line for large-cylindrical sodium-ion batteries featuring full-tab technology, which commenced production in September 2026. Jinhong Cable supplied low-voltage power distribution cables for the industrial park, facilitating the base's transition from construction to commercial operation in less than 12 months.

Project Background

The Boom in Sodium-Ion Battery Manufacturing

The transition of sodium-ion battery technology from laboratory validation to commercial mass production has moved faster than most industry analysts anticipated. By mid-2026, China’s sodium-ion battery industry had entered what insiders call a "critical period for commercialization," with major manufacturers—such as CATL, BYD, EVE Energy, and Gotion High-Tech—announcing mass production schedules or capacity expansion plans.

The Bazhong project is of significant importance: it is China’s first gigawatt-hour (GWh) scale production base for cylindrical sodium-ion batteries. It is operated by Sodium New Energy Technology (Bazhong) Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of the Luoyang-based Sodium New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. The production line utilizes a full-tab large cylindrical cell architecture, which represents the mainstream technical pathway for the commercialization of sodium-ion batteries today.

Project Overview

The facility enjoys a prime location within Bazhong’s emerging sodium-battery industry cluster. Bazhong has established a development strategy for the entire industry chain—spanning materials, cells, and applications—with the goal of achieving an annual production capacity of 30 GWh for sodium-ion cells and materials within three to five years.

Engineering Challenges

Why Battery Gigafactories Demand More from Cable Supply

For electrical engineers and cable installation contractors accustomed to traditional industrial facilities, battery manufacturing plants present a unique set of challenges regarding power distribution. The associated risks and potential impacts far exceed those of typical commercial or light industrial projects.

1. Process Sensitivity to Voltage Fluctuations

The manufacturing of sodium-ion cells involves high-precision processes such as electrode coating, calendering, winding, and electrolyte filling. These processes are extremely sensitive to voltage fluctuations, which can compromise cell consistency and formation yields, ultimately affecting battery safety. Unlike loads in general manufacturing, even momentary voltage dips can impact production quality—effects that often do not become apparent until the final testing stage.

2. Continuous Process Load Characteristics

Battery production lines operate on a continuous duty cycle. Unlike facilities where load profiles fluctuate predictably with shift changes, a Gigafactory’s power demand remains relatively constant across shifts and includes additional loads from environmental control systems (such as dry rooms and HVAC systems), formation and aging equipment, and facility auxiliary systems. These continuous load characteristics impact conductor sizing, thermal management, and long-term insulation performance.

3. Class 1 Load Classification

Industrial battery manufacturing facilities typically fall under the category of Class 1 loads associated with continuous manufacturing processes. Their power distribution infrastructure must be designed to meet stringent requirements regarding downtime tolerance and must incorporate appropriate redundancy configurations at the system level.

4. Tight Construction Schedule

The timeline for the Bazhong project—spanning from the start of construction (October 2025) to the commencement of operations (September 2026)—is less than 12 months. This compressed schedule places immense pressure on the material supply timeline. Cable delivery cannot fully rely on a theoretical "Just-in-Time" (JIT) model; cables must arrive precisely when the installation team is ready, otherwise, the entire electrical installation process would suffer a chain reaction of delays.

5. Standards Compliance and Traceability

Cable certification and material traceability are essential requirements for facilities seeking financing, insurance, and regulatory approvals. The project mandates compliance with Chinese GB/T standards for industrial power distribution and requires the provision of comprehensive batch test documentation and raw material traceability records.

Solution: Power Distribution Cable Supply for Industrial Park

Jinhong Cable supplied low-voltage power distribution cables to the industrial park, specifically designed to meet the facility's unique load characteristics and environmental conditions.

Technical Specifications

The cable solution primarily utilizes low-voltage power cables to transmit electricity from the facility's substation to the distribution boxes in the production workshops.

Key Technical Specifications:

During the specification process, Jinhong’s engineering team collaborated early on with the project’s electrical design consultants. Rather than simply selecting specifications from a product catalog, the cable specifications were tailored to the actual harmonic environment, duty cycles, and fault current conditions within the battery manufacturing facility.

Product Supply Range

For contractors evaluating cable supply solutions for similar industrial projects, the scope of supply includes:

• Low-voltage power cables for main distribution feeders (from substations to production workshop distribution panels)
• Control cables for process equipment interfaces
• Building wires for lighting, power outlets, and auxiliary systems
• Fire-resistant cables for emergency systems

Jinhong’s comprehensive product portfolio encompasses 32 categories and over 8,000 specifications, including medium-voltage cables, XLPE cables, armored cables, and specialized solutions tailored for industrial environments.

Manufacturing and Quality Assurance

Production Capacity:

• Manufacturing Complex: Located in Hefei, Anhui; covers an area of ​​210,000 square meters
• Daily Capacity: Exceeds 600,000 meters
• Raw Material Sourcing: Copper conductors sourced from top-tier domestic suppliers, featuring full traceability

Quality Control Standards:

• Full-batch testing covering conductor resistance, insulation integrity, and withstand voltage performance
• Equipped with over 15 types of advanced testing instruments to ensure end-to-end quality control (raw material inspection → in-process monitoring → final batch certification)
• Ensures 100% consistency between products and samples

Supply Chain and Delivery Coordination

For the Pakistan-China project, cable supply arrangements were synchronized with the electrical installation schedule. This coordination encompassed the following aspects:

• Early Specification Finalization: Collaborating with the project's electrical contractor to finalize cable schedules prior to the commencement of the construction phase.
• Phased Scheduling: Developing production plans aligned with delivery windows for various facility zones (e.g., substations, production workshops, and auxiliary buildings).
• Warehouse Optimization: Scheduling deliveries based on the installation sequence to prevent bottlenecks in on-site storage.
• Documentation Readiness: Providing comprehensive technical documentation—including specifications, test reports, and compliance certificates—in advance to facilitate the contractor's inspection and approval processes.

Project Outcome

The sodium-ion battery production line officially commenced operations on September 16, 2026. Once the Bazhong facility reaches full production capacity, its annual output value is projected to exceed RMB 600 million, creating approximately 700 local jobs.

The facility has already secured orders totaling over RMB 890 million, spanning applications such as energy storage, construction machinery, and vehicle start-stop power systems. This strong market demand indicates that the production line is rapidly ramping up to full capacity, necessitating reliable performance from the supporting power distribution cables from the very outset of operations.

Strategic Significance for the Region

This project marks a major strategic shift in the industrial development of Bazhong City. The city is committed to establishing itself as a "Sodium-Ion Battery Industry Base for Western China," with the goal of achieving an annual production capacity of 30 GWh for battery cells and materials within three to five years. Reliable power infrastructure—spanning everything from external grid connections to end-point distribution panels—serves as the cornerstone for realizing this ambitious objective.

For engineers and cable installation contractors evaluating cable supply solutions for similar industrial projects, the Bazhong case demonstrates that supplier selection must take a comprehensive approach, considering the following factors:

• Specification alignment (technical understanding of the application scenario)
• Production capacity (ability to deliver at scale while maintaining quality)
• Supply chain reliability (delivery performance under tight schedules)
• Documentation and compliance (certifications and traceability to meet regulatory and financing requirements)

Technical Guidance for Project Engineers and Cable Installation Contractors

Cable Selection Considerations for Battery Manufacturing Facilities

Voltage Drop Analysis

For battery manufacturing facilities, voltage drop calculations should account for the following:

• Continuous process loads (production equipment)
• Intermittent high-demand loads (formation and aging equipment)
• Environmental control systems (HVAC, dry rooms)
• Future capacity expansion (addition of modular production lines)

In accordance with standards such as IEC 60364 or NEC Article 310, industry practice typically limits voltage drop for critical loads to a range of 2% to 5%. However, given the presence of voltage-sensitive process equipment in battery manufacturing, a more conservative design margin is recommended.

Thermal Management

XLPE (cross-linked polyethylene) insulation supports higher continuous operating temperatures (typically 90°C, compared to 70°C for PVC), thereby providing thermal headroom for sustained industrial loads. This is particularly important in enclosed production environments where ambient temperatures may be elevated.

Laying and Installation

Cable installation in industrial parks must meet the following requirements:

• Underground trench laying (armored cables required for mechanical protection)
• Overhead cable tray systems (adequate support spacing and compliance with flame-retardant requirements are essential)
• Equipment connections (flexible cables or standardized termination procedures must be used)

Note: While the actual installation work is performed by the project's electrical contractor, the aforementioned installation conditions must be fully considered during cable selection.

Fire Safety in Battery Manufacturing

Although sodium-ion battery systems inherently carry a lower risk of thermal runaway compared to lithium-ion systems, their manufacturing environments still contain flammable materials (such as electrolyte solvents) and potential ignition sources. Consequently, the use of flame-retardant cables in such facilities is standard industry practice.

Documentation Requirements for Industrial Projects

For contractors preparing to bid on or execute industrial projects, cable suppliers should provide the following documentation:

Jinhong provides comprehensive technical documentation to support EPC bidding and project approval processes.