en.Wedoany.com Reported - Unit 1 of China Energy's Zhentouba II Hydropower Station was connected to the grid on May 30, marking the full grid connection of all six units at the station and laying the foundation for full-capacity operation.
As the 22nd cascade hydropower station in the adjusted plan for the mainstream of the Dadu River, the station is located in the urban area of Jinkouhe District, Leshan City, Sichuan Province. It is listed as a key construction project under Sichuan's "14th Five-Year Plan" and a major project under Leshan's "Graphic Operations" initiative. It is also the first large-scale hydropower station to be connected to the grid during China's "15th Five-Year Plan" period. The station has a total installed capacity of 300 MW, featuring six bulb tubular units each with a capacity of 50 MW. Once fully operational, the station is expected to deliver approximately 1.503 billion kWh of clean electricity to the grid annually.
Since construction began in October 2021, the project has focused on technological innovation. During construction, the "key technology for constructing 2m-class ultra-thick cut-off walls under complex geological conditions" was applied, marking the first use of ultra-thick continuous cut-off wall construction technology in large-scale hydropower projects in China. Additionally, the project pioneered a scheme for constructing the cut-off wall after the cofferdam was built to its full height in a single phase, improving construction efficiency and creating conditions for safe flood control after the second-phase river closure. In terms of flood season safety, the project successfully withstood the maximum flood peak of 5,700 cubic meters per second in the Dadu River basin in 2024, as well as high-water-level floods exceeding 5,000 cubic meters per second for 15 consecutive days. Addressing construction challenges, the project completed complex tasks such as the demolition of the Gongyong II line in six and a half months, enabling the 500 kV transmission project to be fully completed nearly four months ahead of schedule. Just before the 2026 May Day holiday, the station achieved the grid connection of three units, two main transformers, and two 500 kV lines within four days, setting a record for the installation and commissioning of large tubular units in China. Key milestones of the station's construction include: second-phase river closure on March 30, 2023; completion of the main dam concrete pouring to its full height in November 2024; gate lowering at the unit intake and water entry into the foundation pit through cofferdam breaching in March 2025; successful gate lowering for reservoir impoundment in April 2026; and grid connection of the first unit on April 27, 2026.
As a key hydropower project in the Dadu River basin, the Zhentouba II Hydropower Station has balanced ecological protection with urban development during construction, exploring a path of harmonious coexistence between hydropower projects and urban construction. The successful grid connection of all six units demonstrates the practice of integrating hydropower projects with urban development, as well as the principles of ecological priority and green development. Once fully operational, the station will enhance the clean energy supply capacity in Southwest China, promote the optimization of Sichuan's energy structure, and support the achievement of the "carbon peak and carbon neutrality" goals as well as the green transformation of the local economy and society.
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