Three Gorges Corporation has completed the Baihetan hydropower project, the second largest in the world. The 16 GW project, located on the upper Yangtze in China, features a 289 m double-curvature arch dam and 16 generating units each with a capacity of 1 GW. The dam was completed in February 2021 after four years of construction and has the capability to supply electricity to 75 million people, primarily in eastern China.
The use of 3D printing and AI-controlled equipment such as excavators, trucks, rollers, and bulldozers allowed construction work to progress around the clock, making the project the second fastest construction of a hydropower station in China.
China is investing heavily in renewable energy projects and the completion of the Baihetan hydropower project supports the country’s goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
