Millions were displaced as an area of about 600 kilometers was submerged to create the world’s largest dam and hydroelectricity facilities. [12][13] Coupling the dam's 32 main turbines with two smaller generators (50 MW each) to power the plant itself, the total electric generating capacity of the dam is 22,500 MW. The Three Gorges Dam is the world's largest hydroelectric dam, spanning the Yangtze River in Hubei province, China. [127], Though the large size of the reservoir caused huge relocation upstream, it was considered justified by the flood protection it provides for communities downstream. The Three Gorges Dam is the world's largest capacity hydroelectric power station with 34 generators: 32 main generators, each with a capacity of 700 MW, and two plant power generators, each with capacity of 50 MW, making a total capacity of 22,500 MW. [103] The 1954 flood carried 50 cubic kilometres (12 cu mi) of water. In 1998, a flood in the same area caused billions of dollars in damage; 2,039 km2 (787 sq mi) of farmland were flooded. Three Gorges Dam, China. By providing flood storage space, the dam reduces the potential for floods downstream which could possibly affect millions. After the 1949 Communist Revolution, Mao Zedong supported the project, but began the Gezhouba Dam project nearby first, and economic problems including the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution slowed progress. A full 4.27 km3 (1.02 cu mi) of flood water was captured and the river flow was cut by as much as 15,000 m3 (530,000 cu ft) per second.[72]. The ship lift can lift ships of up to 3,000 tons. The Three Gorges Dam is very impressive and well worth a visit but you don't get to see that much of it. Earthfill south dam in foreground with view along main dam. In 1993 work started on access roads and electricity to the site. [16][122] Lahmeyer, the German firm that designed the ship lift, said it will take a vessel less than an hour to transit the lift. Model of the Three Gorges Dam showing the ship lift and the ship lock. Despite protests by residents and environmentalists, the Three Gorges Dam was completed in 2006 after a 12-year build. The outer diameter of the generator stator is 21.4/20.9 m. The inner diameter is 18.5/18.8 m. The stator, the biggest of its kind, is 3.1/3 m in height. [75] Between 2010 (first design-maximum reservoir water level) and 2019, the dam generated an average of 92 TWh of electricity per year, just second to Itaipu dam average of 92.8 TWh of electricity per year during the same period. Read more. An important function of the dam is to control flooding, which is a major problem for the seasonal river of the Yangtze. [15][54][55], By August 16, 2011, the plant had generated 500 TWh of electricity. The longest river in Asia, the Yangtze River brings mixed blessings to China. After the extensive monsoon rainfalls of 2020, the dam's annu… It is 1.3 miles wide, over 600 feet in height, and has a reservoir that stretches 405 square miles. ", "Three Gorges Dam will meet the first large-scale flood since being completed", "China's west seeks to impress investors", "Three Gorges Dam Ship Lift, People's Republic of China", "Tower columns for Three Gorges shiplift to be built", "Three Gorges Dam exceeds cargo target set for 2030", "China shifts from follower to leader in hydropower development", "Ship lift at Three Gorges Dam, China − design of steel structures", "Phase I Field Trial of Ship Lift at Three Gorges Dam Successfully Ends", "World's largest shiplift starts operation at China's Three Gorges Dam", "Millions more face relocation from Three Gorges Reservoir Area", "China warns of environmental "catastrophe" from Three Gorges Dam", "Relocation for Giant Dam Inflames Chinese Peasants", "Flotsam, Jetsam and the Three Gorges Dam", "Annual report on the military power of the People's Republic of China (.pdf)", "Just Two Missiles could blow up China's Three Gorges Dam and kill millions", "中国三峡总公司拟在金沙江上建４座梯级水电站 总装机容量为３８５０万千瓦_中国电力网新闻中心", "Beijing Environment, Science and Technology Update", "The Three Gorges Dam v/s The Itaipu Dam", China Nuclear International Uranium Corporation, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Three_Gorges_Dam&oldid=1019546498, Wikipedia pending changes protected pages, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing Chinese-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2020, Wikipedia articles in need of updating from October 2017, All Wikipedia articles in need of updating, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. [91] Over one billion tons of wastewater are released annually into the river,[85] which was more likely to be swept away before the reservoir was created. However, electricity demand has increased more quickly than previously projected. There are two in series, parallel. Three Gorges Dam, dam on the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang) just west of the city of Yichang in Hubei province, China. According to the Ministry of Environmental Protection, as of April 2007, more than 50 new plants could treat 1.84 million tonnes per day, 65% of the total need. Even fully operational, on average, it supports only about 1.7% of electricity demand in China in the year of 2011, when the Chinese electricity demand reached 4,692.8 TWh. Annual electricity generation in 2018 was 101.6 TWh,[7] which is 20 times more than the Hoover Dam. [99], In 2005, NASA scientists calculated that the shift of water mass stored by the dams would increase the total length of the Earth's day by 0.06 microseconds and make the Earth slightly more round in the middle and flat on the poles.[100]. [93] This region has long been known for its rich biodiversity. In 1944, the United States Bureau of Reclamation's head design engineer, John L. Savage, surveyed the area and drew up a dam proposal for the 'Yangtze River Project'. The generator produces electrical power at 20 kV. Some hydrologists expect downstream riverbanks to become more vulnerable to flooding. [8], The State Grid Corporation and China Southern Power Grid paid a flat rate of ¥250 per MWh (US$35.7) until July 2, 2008. [8][9], The dam body was completed in 2006. The height of Three Gorges … Officials expect water levels in the reservoir, whose dam … Construction of those dams, they maintained, would enable the government to meet its main priorities without the risks. The Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric gravity dam that spans the Yangtze River by the town of Sandouping, in Yiling District, Yichang, Hubei province, central China, downstream of the Three Gorges. Maximum vessel size is 10,000 tons. The project used 27.2 million m3 (35.6 million cu yd) of concrete (mainly for the dam wall), used 463,000 tonnes of steel (enough to build 63 Eiffel Towers), and moved about 102.6 million m3 (134.2 million cu yd) of earth. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Because of these problems, work on the Three Gorges Dam was delayed for nearly 40 years as the Chinese government struggled to reach a decision to carry through with plans for the project. 17) began operation on December 18, 2007, raising capacity to 14.1 GW, finally surpassing Itaipu dam (14.0 GW), to become the world's largest hydro power plant by capacity. That is a significant change from the 13,000 km2 (5,000 sq mi) net loss of forest each year in the 1990s. Advertisement - story continues below The dam generates an average 95±20 TWh of electricity per year, depending on annual amount of precipitation in the river basin. The ship lift's design uses a helical gear system, to climb or descend a toothed rack. As water crests, Three Gorges Dam crisis puts 400m at risk More torrential rain forecast along Yangtze River basin on Sunday Water is discharged Tuesday from the Three Gorges Dam in Hubei Province. [19] However, the dam flooded archaeological and cultural sites, displaced some 1.3 million people, and had caused significant ecological changes including an increased risk of landslides. The Three Gorges Dam has been the world's largest power station in terms of installed capacity (22,500 MW) since 2012. The designed hydraulic head of the generator is 80.6 meters (264 ft). It is not known whether this solution was considered for its water-saving performance or because the engineers thought the difference in height between the river above and below the dam too great for alternative methods. The ship locks are to the right (northeast) of the ship lift. Omissions? chicagoan5 wrote a review Nov 2019. chicago 31 contributions 21 helpful votes. [29] Some 54 Chinese engineers went to the U.S. for training. Related Content. [12] Among those 32 main generators, 14 are installed in the north side of the dam, 12 in the south side, and the remaining six in the underground power plant in the mountain south of the dam. The dam is expected to minimize the effect of even a "super" flood. How long did it take to build the dam? Some newer ones are air-cooled, which are simpler in design and manufacture and are easier to maintain. The technology transfer agreement was signed together with the contract. The Three Gorges area alone accounts for 20 percent of Chinese seed plants—more than 6,000 species. Although it meets the water needs of millions of people, the river regularly overflows its banks. Learn more about the Three Gorges Dam. Each of them is made up of five stages, with transit time at around four hours. [96] Other aquatic species have been endangered by the dam, particularly the baiji, or Chinese river dolphin,[85] now extinct. [101][102] In 1954, the river flooded 193,000 km2 (74,500 sq mi), killing 33,169 people and forcing 18,884,000 people to move. The dam discharges its reservoir during the dry season between December and March every year. Before the dam was constructed, the maximum freight capacity at the Three Gorges site was 18.0 million tonnes per year. The Three Gorges dam, which can handle inflows of about 98.8m litres a second, is already approaching its capacity. Located in Sandouping (三斗坪), Yichang City, Hubei Province, 38km from Gezhouba Water Control Project at the downstream, 17 years! [104] Also, the dam cannot protect against some of the large tributaries downstream, including the Xiang, Zishui, Yuanshui, Lishui, Hanshui, and the Gan. [48], The first north side main generator (No. The reservoir's flood storage capacity is 22 cubic kilometres (5.3 cu mi; 18,000,000 acre⋅ft). China regards the project as a monumental social and economical success,[17] with the design of state-of-the-art large turbines,[18] and a move toward limiting greenhouse gas emissions. Its proponents insisted it would control disastrous flooding along the Yangtze, facilitate inland trade, and provide much-needed power for central China, but the dam was not without its detractors. The dam's reservoir rose nearly 3 m (9.8 ft) in 24 hours and reduced the outflow to 40,000 m3/s (1,400,000 cu ft/s) in discharges downstream, effectively alleviating serious impacts on the middle and lower river. Average efficiency is over 94%, and reaches 96.5%. [27][28] He stated that a dam capable of generating 30 million horsepower (22 GW) was possible downstream of the Three Gorges. Limited hydroelectric power production began in 2003 and gradually increased as additional turbine generators came online over the years until 2012, when all of the dam’s 32 turbine generator units were operating. Shennongjia, a nature reserve near the dam in Hubei province, is … [94] These rare species are also used as ingredients in traditional Chinese medicines. 47 Questions from Britannica’s Most Popular Geography Quizzes. [77], Power distribution and transmission infrastructure cost about 34.387 billion yuan. For example, the hanging coffins site high in the Shen Nong Gorge is part of the cliffs. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. [117], The ship lift was not yet complete when the rest of the project was officially opened on May 20, 2006. The largest dam in the world, it allows the navigation of oceangoing freighters, generates hydroelectric power, and may offer flood protection. A similar separation is used on the downstream side, seen partially in the preceding image. The water level upstream drops from 175 to 145 m (574 to 476 ft),[107] preparing for the rainy season. Plenty of farm land and China's most important industrial area are built beside the river. "[142], The Three Gorges Dam is a steel-concrete gravity dam. In addition to the canal locks, there is a ship lift, a kind of elevator for vessels. It is home to 6,388 species of plants, which belong to 238 families and 1,508 genera. Two short rail lines, one on each side of the river, are to be constructed. [12][14][15] The last major component of the project, the ship lift, was completed in December 2015. [109][110], The installation of ship locks is intended to increase river shipping from ten million to 100 million tonnes annually; as a result transportation costs will be cut between 30 and 37%. The total capacity of those four dams is 38,500 MW,[148] almost double the capacity of the Three Gorges. Three Gorges Dam When finished in 2009, the Three Gorges Dam on the Chang Jiang (Yangtze River) will be the largest dam in the world. [124] The freight capacity of the river increased six times and the cost of shipping was reduced by 25%. These locks are staircase locks, whereby inner lock gate pairs serve as both the upper gate and lower gate. The gates are the vulnerable hinged type, which, if damaged, could temporarily render the entire flight unusable. [125], Plans also exist for the construction of short portage railways bypassing the dam area altogether. Please select which sections you would like to print: While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. [90], In 1997, the Three Gorges area had 10% forestation, down from 20% in the 1950s. Of these plant species, 57 percent are endangered. [73][74], The Three Gorges Dam reached its design-maximum reservoir water level of 175 m (574 ft) for the first time on October 26, 2010, in which the intended annual power-generation capacity of 84.7 TWh was realized. In 2012, the dam's 32 generating units generated a record 98.1 TWh of electricity, which accounts for 14% of China's total hydro generation. [41] By the end of 2008, spending had reached 148.365 billion yuan, among which 64.613 billion yuan was spent on construction, 68.557 billion yuan on relocating affected residents, and 15.195 billion yuan on financing. China’s Three Gorges Dam is the world’s largest hydroelectric dam based on generating capacity. It also improves shipping conditions. At the time of its completion in 2006, it was the largest dam structure in the world. The DC transmission line HVDC Three Gorges – Guangdong to the South China Grid has a capacity of 3,000 MW. This capacity will reduce the frequency of major downstream flooding from once every 10 years to once every 100 years. Full cost recovery was thus expected to occur ten years after the dam started full operation,[41] but the full cost of the Three Gorges Dam was recovered by December 20, 2013. This is particularly detrimental to the ecosystem of the region because the Yangtze River basin is home to 361 different fish species and accounts for 27 percent of all endangered freshwater fish species in China. [50][51][52][53], As of May 23, 2012, when the last main generator, No. [80][81], According to the National Development and Reform Commission, 366 grams of coal would produce 1 kWh of electricity during 2006. [97] The Chinese paddlefish is also believed extinct in part due to the dam blocking its migration. Millions of people live downstream of the dam, with many large, important cities like Wuhan, Nanjing, and Shanghai located adjacent to the river. Each main water turbine has a capacity of 700 MW. [31], During the 1980s, the idea of a dam reemerged. The 88-kilometre (55 mi) long northern portage railway (北岸翻坝铁路) will run from the Taipingxi port facility (太平溪港) on the northern side of the Yangtze, just upstream from the dam, via Yichang East Railway Station to the Baiyang Tianjiahe port facility in Baiyang Town (白洋镇), below Yichang. [45], The main generators weigh about 6,000 tonnes each and are designed to produce more than 700 MW of power. [130] Some 2007 reports claimed that Chongqing Municipality will encourage an additional four million people to move away from the dam to the main urban area of Chongqing by 2020. [85], Research by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization suggested that the Asia-Pacific region would, overall, gain about 6,000 km2 (2,300 sq mi) of forest by 2008. The greater the head, the less water needed to reach full power. Birds-Eye View of the Reservoir. 27, finished its final test, the six underground main generators are also in operation, raising capacity to 22.5 GW. [90], The dam catalyzed improved upstream wastewater treatment around Chongqing and its suburban areas. Can you conquer it? Of the 3,000 to 4,000 remaining critically endangered Siberian crane, a large number currently spend the winter in wetlands that will be destroyed by the Three Gorges Dam. Three Gorges Dam: The World's Most Powerful Dam. However, damage to the entire dam through means such as missiles could cause flooding along a large area of the Yangtze River due to overflow spillage.[143]. [89] Also, in the first four months of 2010, there were 97 significant landslides. Most of the generators are water-cooled. [82] People's Liberation Army General Liu Yuan was quoted in the China Youth Daily saying that the People's Republic of China would be "seriously on guard against threats from Taiwan independence terrorists. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). In 1992 Premier Li Peng, who had himself trained as an engineer, was finally able to persuade the National People’s Congress to ratify the decision to build the dam, though almost a third of its members abstained or voted against the project—an unprecedented sign of resistance from a normally acquiescent body. (Following completion of this second phase, some 1,200 sites of historical and archaeological importance that once lined the middle reaches of the Yangtze River vanished as floodwaters rose.) Months of 2010, there were 97 significant landslides [ 94 ] these rare species also... Parfaites sur Getty images then, the Nationalist government, led by Kai-shek... 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Campaign, some engineers who spoke out against the project were imprisoned which! 39.1931, 1935, 1954, 1998 年长江流域发生的4次大洪水造成了怎样的洪水灾害? downstream flooding from once every 100.... And Wudongde is seeking government approval be `` negatively affected '' by the innate mass of dam! Freight capacity of 12,000 MW stepped-up to 500 kV transmission lines sections because of the baiji Yangtze river ( Jiang! Due to changes in the river increased six times and the rotation speed is 75 revolutions per.... ( No body was completed in 2015 [ 126 ], in late 2012, and has a capacity 700... River brings mixed blessings to China for example, the dam discharges its reservoir during the,... Yichang with public transportation greater the head available there were 97 significant landslides than 1,600 km ( 990 mi net.

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