(Yicai Global) Jan. 23 -- China Southern Power Grid, one of the country's two major electric utilities, has tied up with Électricité de France on the planning, operation and application of Big Data to network services in the Greater Bay Area and Hainan Free Trade Zone.

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Hainan FTZ and the Belt and Road Initiative have huge development potential for both companies, Guangzhou-based China Southern Power said in a statement.

It aims to leverage EDF's more advanced technologies and concepts, an insider close to the power supplier told Yicai Global.

The Greater Bay Area falls within China Southern Power's coverage. Other places supplied include the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou and Hainan. The utility will contribute to the area's construction and implement environmentally friendly measures to make the bay area a world-class cluster.

China Southern Power supplies a quarter of Hong Kong's needs and close to three-quarters of Macau's. The company is working on interconnecting supply for Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao while also working on a third transmission line for Macao. The project should be completed by the end of June, Yicai Global learned.

Two channels in the south and north are used to get power to Macao and building the new channel will boost the company's ability to supply electricity by 700,000 kilowatts to 1.7 million kw.

For the Hainan FTZ's construction, offshore pre-trenching of the second phase of China Southern Power's project to connect the island province began last month and is slated for completion in April. It will boost Hainan's grid security and stable operations of nuclear power while supporting electricity infrastructure for the FTZ.