Southwest China’s Yebatan Dam Begins Reservoir Filling

Southwest China’s Yebatan Dam Begins Reservoir Filling

Big news from southwest China! The Yebatan Hydropower Station just kicked off the first stage of its reservoir filling, marking a major milestone before its first power-generating units come online ⚡🌊.

Part of the Chinese mainlands 14th Five-Year Plan, Yebatan sits on the Jinsha River, straddling Sichuan Province and the Xizang Autonomous Region. This isnt just any dam—it is a concrete double-curvature arch dam perched at 2,889 meters above sea level, making it the highest of its kind in the country.

With a total installed capacity of 2,240 megawatts and a dam height of 217 meters, Yebatan is set to be a clean-energy powerhouse. During construction, engineers broke records by drilling a 38.1-meter-long concrete core sample, proving that when it comes to big projects, Chinas crews dont mess around 💪.

Reservoir filling happens in two phases. The first phase started this week, lifting the water to 2,855 meters—just enough to get the first turbines spinning by the end of the year. Next up, the second phase will raise water to the full 2,889-meter normal level, letting Yebatan team up with other dams along the Jinsha for smooth, coordinated power dispatch.

Once fully up and running by 2026, Yebatan will pump out over 10.2 billion kWh yearly. Thats enough juice to replace nearly 4 million tonnes of coal and cut about 7.37 million tonnes of CO2 emissions each year—major win for the planet 🌍.

What is more, all this clean energy will travel east via the worlds highest-altitude large-capacity hydropower-photovoltaic hybrid DC line: the Jinshang-Hubei ±800 kV UHV DC project. This link not only boosts central Chinas power grid but also supports local growth and a greener economy.

Started in September 2018, Yebatan is racing towards full operation in 2026. Keep an eye out—this dam is about to change the energy game in the Chinese mainland!

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