Why does Guizhou export electricity to Guangdong province?

Guizhou exports electricity to Guangdong province primarily as part of the West-East Electricity Transfer Project. This national infrastructure initiative was designed to support the development of China's historically underdeveloped western provinces while simultaneously supplying energy to the more populous and industrialized eastern regions of the country.1

In Guizhou, electric-power generation is a vital component of the provincial economy. The province utilizes its abundant water resources to operate numerous hydroelectric facilities, alongside coal-fired thermal plants, to generate significant amounts of power for export to Guangdong.2