At the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, China Southern Power Grid presented a suite of technological innovations aimed at expanding energy cooperation between China and ASEAN. Among the highlights were the DaWatt - Lao Language Large Language Model (LLM) for the Energy and Power Sector V2.0 and the Flexible Grayscale Intelligent Monitoring & Analysis Platform for power system cybersecurity. These developments underscore a strategic shift toward digitalization, intelligent technologies, and green energy in the region.
The Lao-language LLM has already been deployed at Electricité du Laos Transmission Company Limited (EDL-T), where it has demonstrated significant operational impact. The model can automatically analyze thousands of inspection images in a short time. After optimizing its algorithms for Laos' mountainous and rainforest terrain, it completed intelligent inspection analysis for four transmission lines, processing 26,000 drone inspection images and identifying more than 3,600 equipment defects. This capability not only enhances maintenance efficiency but also reduces risks associated with manual inspections in challenging environments.
Liu Ying, general manager of the Digitalization Department at Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd., explained that the company has been building multilingual professional corpora for the power sector, covering ASEAN countries including Laos, Vietnam, and Malaysia. Leveraging the DaWatt foundation model, the company is developing energy and power models tailored to ASEAN languages and real-world power industry applications. This effort addresses language barriers that have historically hindered cross-border technical exchanges and collaboration.
Talent development is another critical pillar of the cooperation. The China-ASEAN Institute of Energy, jointly established by Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. and Guangxi University, is pioneering an industry-university training model with a strong emphasis on practical experience. So far, two cohorts totaling 53 students from ASEAN countries have enrolled. This initiative not only builds local capacity but also fosters long-term partnerships. Cooperation is evolving from one-way training toward joint innovation, as evidenced by the laboratory for artificial intelligence and safety equipment established with the Royal Academy of Cambodia, and peer-to-peer exchanges with Electricité du Laos on improving power supply reliability.
To further facilitate cross-border technical exchanges, Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. has developed an AI-powered translation platform backed by a specialized database containing terminology for more than 1,800 types of power equipment. The platform supports accurate translation between Chinese and English, Chinese and Lao, and Chinese and Vietnamese. At a recent training program for Chinese and overseas engineers, the system enabled one-click generation of bilingual course materials and real-time speech translation, helping participants navigate highly specialized power-sector terminology. This tool is expected to streamline collaboration and reduce misunderstandings in joint projects.
Guangxi Power Grid Co., Ltd. has also established an international talent pool covering management, technical, and skilled personnel, and developed 24 hours of courses on international affairs as well as 20 short-form video courses. Sun Xiaohua, deputy director of the Human Resources Department, noted that the company will explore joint postgraduate programs with universities in ASEAN countries this year. Looking ahead, the company plans to advance a development model featuring "R&D in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong, integration in Guangxi, and application in ASEAN." It will continue expanding its multilingual power-sector corpora and explore a "Token Goes Global" model for power-sector AI, with computing resources and models based in Guangxi while knowledge services are delivered overseas. This approach aims to create new forms of China-ASEAN energy cooperation and support the green development of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0.
These initiatives matter because they represent a tangible integration of advanced digital technologies into regional energy infrastructure. By overcoming language and technical barriers, China and ASEAN countries can enhance the reliability, efficiency, and sustainability of their power systems. The deployment of AI-driven solutions and the emphasis on talent development signal a maturing partnership that goes beyond traditional infrastructure projects, potentially setting a precedent for technology-driven cooperation in other sectors. As the region pursues green development goals, such collaborative innovations will be crucial in meeting rising energy demands while minimizing environmental impact.
