Three Gorges project five years after completion delivers multi-functional victory on Yangtze

The Three Gorges Project has solidified its role as a multi-functional backbone of China’s Yangtze River management, delivering extensive benefits in prime areas: flood control, water supply, power generation and shipping.

The project has intercepted more than 29 billion cubic meters of floodwater through synchronized operation with upstream reservoirs, markedly alleviating flood risks in the middle and lower reaches over the period of five years.

Meanwhile, the Three Gorges Project power plant has delivered the remarkable performance of generating over 423 billion kilowatt- hours of electricity, comparable to saving 128 million tonnes of standard coal and mitigating carbon dioxide emissions by 347 million tonnes.

Further the project has secured water supply for industrial areas during dry weather conditions, recharging 82.4 billion cubic meters of water to support industrial and ecological needs.

Evolving since its construction in 1994, the Three Gorges Project now serves as a crucial infrastructure asset.

It features a 2,309-meter-long and 185-meter-high-dam, twin five-tier ship locks, and 34 turbogenerators with a total capacity of 22.5 million kilowatts.

Critically, it provides necessary protection against historical flooding along the Yangtze River basin.