SP boasts its strong competency in science and technology, influential research institutes and experts at home and aboard, with many grand achievements. 

With its large quantity of qualified personnel in research and development, SP has formed its research system of experts and backbone staffs, many of whom take the lead of specified disciplines. At present SP possesses 2 academicians of Chinese Academy of Science, 9 academicians of Chinese Academy of Engineering, 72 medium-aged and young experts with outstanding national achievements, and 1570 professionals enjoying state special allowance. 

SP has established comparatively complete and advanced techniques, equipment and facilities in scientific research and technological development. The key experimental facilities of power system simulation, high voltage metering, ultra high cables, clean coal burning, poles towers and conductor mechanics, electromagnetic compatibility, etc, have reached top-class in China or advanced in the world. 

SP attaches great importance to technological innovations, and has gained a row of scientific and technological achievements with international top class. SP plays a leading role in the world in relay protection, controlling technology in network stability, hydro-power damming techniques, power software engineering, and etc. It also has competency of independent design and construction in AC and DC transmission, ultra-high voltage transmission and transformation technologies, super critical units, clean-coal power generation, wind generation, environmental protection of nuclear power, and etc. It has popularized all kinds of software in system design and construction, operation management, system analysis, stability control, and etc.

 SP has 39 research institutes with nearly 14000 staffs. Institutes directly under SP, universities and colleges, laboratories and institutes under group and provincial corporations have formed the framework of SP’s scientific studies in electric power.

 Attaching great importance to science and technology, SP has based its strategic outlines for corporate development on scientific and technological progress, funded to develop science and technology, strengthened abilities in tackling key problems, and enhanced technologies for sustainable development, scientific apex of future power, and key unresolved issues in power generation and construction, resulting fruitful achievements in science and technology. Since its foundation in 1997 till 2000, SP was awarded 49 National Award on Scientific and Technological Progress, among which 1 was top grade, and 5 were first grade; and 266 achievements were awarded as SP’s Award on Scientific and Technological Progress. They include LEP-900 set protection technology on system transmission lines and its generalization, CC-2000 open access EMS/DMS supporting system, DISA & dr2000 automatic equipment on transformation stations, key technologies and experimentation of 500 kV compact transmission lines, lighting positioning system, research on coupling system of coal-type large-scaled boilers, and etc. These developments and applications have played a key role in upgrading traditional power industry, enhancing power automation, promoting power technologies, with excessive social and economic efficiency.