The Three Gorges Dam is considered one of the greatest engineering achievements in modern history. Built on the Yangtze River in China’s Hubei province, this massive structure is the largest hydroelectric power station in the world in terms of installed capacity.
With its enormous size, record-breaking electricity production, and global impact, the dam has attracted admiration as well as controversy. This article by DailyUpDown explores the history, construction, power generation, benefits, and challenges associated with the Three Gorges Dam.
Location and Basic Facts
The Three Gorges Dam is located on the Yangtze River, which originates in Tibet and flows eastward into the East China Sea near Shanghai. The Yangtze is the third-longest river in the world, after the Nile and the Amazon, and has always played a vital role in China’s economy, culture, and transportation.
Key Specifications:
- Dam length: 2.3 kilometers
- Height: 185 meters
- Installed power capacity: 22,500 megawatts
- Reservoir capacity: 39 billion cubic meters
- Reservoir area: Approximately 1,100 square kilometers
This makes it four times more powerful than Pakistan’s Tarbela Dam and eleven times larger than the Hoover Dam in the United States in terms of electricity generation.
Historical Background
Flooding has been a recurring disaster along the Yangtze River for centuries. One of the earliest ideas to control these floods came in 1919, when China’s first president Sun Yat-sen proposed building a large dam in his book The International Development of China.
However, no significant progress was made until a devastating flood in 1931, one of the deadliest floods in human history, which killed millions. This tragedy revived interest in flood control projects.
In 1932, during the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek, initial planning for the dam began but was halted due to the Japanese invasion of China in 1937. Later, in 1944, the Chinese government hired an American engineer to conduct a feasibility study, completed in 1946. Unfortunately, China’s civil war again delayed the project.
After the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, Chairman Mao Zedong supported the idea of controlling the Yangtze River but preferred smaller dams on tributaries instead of a mega project. As a result, construction was postponed for decades.
Approval and Start of Construction
In the 1980s, China revisited the idea and conducted new feasibility studies. Despite environmental and social concerns, the project was finally approved by the National People’s Congress in 1992. Notably, nearly one-third of members either voted against the proposal or abstained.
In 1993, the project was assigned to the China Three Gorges Corporation, and official construction began in 1994.
Construction Phases
The dam was built in two major phases:
Phase One (Completed in 2003)
- Construction of a temporary diversion wall
- Building the first section of the main dam
- Installation of 14 turbines, each with a capacity of 700 MW
- Initial power generation began in 2003
Phase Two (Completed in 2006–2012)
- Construction on the opposite riverbank
- Installation of 12 additional turbines in the dam wall
- Installation of 8 underground turbines
- Full reservoir filling began in 2007
- By 2012, all 34 turbines were fully operational
Power Generation Capacity
Each main turbine generates 700 megawatts, while two underground units produce 50 megawatts each. This results in a total installed capacity of 22,500 MW, making it the most powerful hydropower plant in the world.
The dam produces an average of 95 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity annually, with power transmitted through 500 kV transmission lines to central and eastern China, including Shanghai.
In 2020, following heavy monsoon rains, the dam set a world record by producing 112 TWh of electricity in a single year.
Navigation and Ship Lift System
The Three Gorges Dam significantly improved river navigation. It features a five-stage ship lock system, similar to the Panama Canal, allowing ships weighing up to 10,000 tons to pass through.
Additionally, China built a hydraulic ship lift system in 2015, which transports vessels over the dam in just 40 minutes, compared to four hours using traditional locks.
Cost and Economic Impact
The initial estimated cost was 22 billion USD, but the final cost reached approximately 37 billion USD, including:
- $19 billion for dam construction
- $5 billion for power transmission
- $13 billion for resettlement programs
Since 2012, the dam has generated electricity worth nearly 8 billion USD annually, meaning the project has largely recovered its construction cost.
Environmental and Social Controversies
Despite its benefits, the Three Gorges Dam remains highly controversial.
Major Concerns:
- Displacement of over 13 million people
- Submergence of hundreds of towns and villages
- Loss of archaeological and historical sites
- Increased risk of landslides
- Ecological damage to wildlife habitats
- Concerns about earthquakes due to nearby fault lines
China maintains that the long-term benefits outweigh the drawbacks, especially in flood control and clean energy production.
Environmental Benefits
The dam significantly reduced China’s reliance on coal, cutting consumption by approximately 50 million tons annually. This reduction has helped lower carbon emissions and improve air quality, making the project a major contributor to renewable energy goals.
A Surprising Scientific Fact
NASA scientists revealed that the massive water storage of the Three Gorges Dam has slightly slowed Earth’s rotation—by a fraction of a microsecond. Although scientifically fascinating, this change is too small to be noticed or cause any real impact.
Conclusion
The Three Gorges Dam stands as a symbol of human ambition, engineering excellence, and complex trade-offs. While it provides clean energy, flood control, and improved navigation, it also raises serious environmental and humanitarian questions.
Whether viewed as a technological triumph or a controversial mega-project, one thing is certain: the Three Gorges Dam has permanently changed the landscape of modern engineering.
Published by DailyUpDown
For educational and informational purposes only.