China operationalised the first two generating units of the world’s second-biggest hydroelectric dam in southwestern China, despite warnings of the environmental damage on June 28, 2021.
Built on the Jishna River, a tributary of Yangtze (the longest river in Asia), the Baihetan dam is aimed to restrain surging fossil fuel demand by building more hydropower capacity.
Key Highlights:
1- The 289 metres high Baihetan Dam has a total installed capacity of 16,000 megawatts.
2- It is expected to generate 60 billion kWh of electricity while offsetting around 52 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in a year.
3- Once fully operational, it is estimated that it will eliminate the need to burn 20 million tons of coal annually.
4- China has pledged to reach carbon neutrality by 2060, adding urgency to the construction of the dam.
5- It extends over the Ningnan county in the Sichuan province and the Qiaojia county in the Yunnan province.
6- It is being developed by Jishna River Chuanyun Hydropower Development Company, a joint venture between CTG Corporation, Sichuan Energy Investment Group, and Yunnan Energy Investment Group.
7- It is one of the first projects to use a 1,000MW hydro-turbine generator and is situated on the border of Sichuan and Yunnan provinces.
8- The project will have two underground powerhouses, one each on the left and right banks of the dam. Each powerhouse will be equipped with eight 1,000MW Francis turbines, indigenously manufactured in China.
9- The dam will have a six flood gate structure and three spillway tunnels. Each flood tunnel is more than 2,000 meters long, with an overflow area of more than 200,000 square meters.
10- The cost of the dam is 220 billion yuan or $34.07 billion.
Baihetan Dam development details
1- The National Development and Reform Commission of China approved the feasibility study of the project in 2010.
2- In August 2017, the construction work started.
3- The first turbine unit was installed in January 2019.
4-The first two generating units were operationalized in June 2021.
5- The dam is expected to be fully operational by 2022.
Home to world’s biggest dams
China has been building hydropower dams in recent years to meet the ever-growing energy demands of its population. It has since then moved from being a follower to becoming a world leader in sustainable energy.
The largest hydropower dam in the world in terms of installed capacity is Three Gorges Dam which is also along China’s Yangtze River. It was operationalized in 2003.
Upcoming projects
China has proposed a mega-dam in Tibet’s Medog County on the lower reaches of the Brahmaputra river, which will surpass the Three Gorges Dam in size.
The analysts have raised concerns against its construction as it poses a threat to the Tibetan cultural heritage. The analysts also believe that the dam once built will allow China to effectively control a substantial portion of India’s water supply.
China’s new dam on Brahmaputra River: All you need to know about the Yarlung Zangbo river hydropower project
Issues raised
1- Experts are of the view that the dam has the potential to hold back the massive amount of silt carried by the river, thereby affecting farming in the downstream areas.
2- Change in water flow rate during the standoff between the countries is another concern. For instance, China stopped communication of water flow levels from its dams during the 2017 Doklam border standoff between India and China.
3- India is concerned about the release of water from the dams during the monsoon season as its northeastern states experience floods during this time.
4- The dam may have disastrous consequences on the ecosystem in the Himalayan region.
5- It may also displace hundreds of thousands of local communities.
It is to be noted that India has proposed a 10GW hydropower project in the Dibang Valley in Arunachal Pradesh to mitigate the adverse impact of this dam. It has also urged China to ensure that the interests of downstream states will not be harmed by any activity in upstream areas.
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