Yanbian Section of Ertan Hydropower Station

Yanbian Section of Ertan Hydropower Station

Ertan Hydropower Station is located on the lower reaches of the Yalong River in Miyi County and Yanbian County, Panzhihua City, Sichuan Province, 46 kilometers from Panzhihua City. The hydropower station is a comprehensive water conservancy hub primarily used for power generation. The normal water level of the reservoir is at an elevation of 1,200 meters, with a total storage capacity of 5.8 billion cubic meters. The power station has installed six turbine generator units, each with a capacity of 550,000 kilowatts, giving it a total installed capacity of 3.3 million kilowatts and an average annual power generation of 17 billion kilowatt-hours.

The main structures of the power station include: a spillway double-curvature arch dam that is 240 meters high with a crest arc length of 775 meters—the dam’s height ranks first in Asia and third in the world among similar types; six pressure penstocks with a diameter of 9 meters, and an underground powerhouse that is 280.3 meters long, 25.5 meters wide, and 63.9 meters high, along with a group of underground chambers including the main transformer hall, tailrace surge chamber, tailrace tunnel, busbar tunnel, and access tunnel; on the right bank, there are two flood discharge tunnels, each 13 meters by 13.5 meters in cross-section, with lengths of 881 meters and 1,218 meters respectively; on the left bank, there is one water conveyance tunnel that is 15 meters wide, 7 meters high, and 1,819 meters long, equipped with one longitudinal combined conveyor with an annual timber transport capacity of 600,000 cubic meters.

3

The power station uses five 500 kV outgoing lines, which connect to the Sichuan power grid via an outdoor switchyard.

This world-class, large-scale modern engineering project represents a brilliant achievement in China’s hydropower history during the 20th century. The main construction began on September 14, 1991; the river was successfully diverted on November 26, 1993; and the first generating unit was connected to the grid on August 18, 1998. The total investment was 28.554 billion yuan, including a World Bank loan of 930 million US dollars, making it one of China’s single projects to receive such a loan. The site boasts abundant tourism resources. The majestic Ertan Dam, the intricate network of underground chambers, the vast waters of the Ertan Reservoir, and the aquaculture industry developed around the reservoir all offer visitors new and unique experiences. From the end of 1998 to the present, the scenic area has received nearly 1 million visitors.