Installed Capacity of Three Gorges Dam Reaches 500 Billion Kilowatt-hours

We learned that the total installed capacity of the biggest hydropower station in the world - Three Gorges Dam breaks up 500 billion kilowatt-hours on August 16. Three Gorges Dam keeps steady and safe running since it was put into operation and production in 2003. It offers important energy support for China's social and economic development.

According to Yangtze River Three Gorges Corporation, the 500 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity been produced in the 8 years are equivalent to dig out 0.167 billion tons of standard coal from Yangtze River. It helps to reduce 0.38 billion tons of carbon dioxide and 4.5 million tons of sulfur dioxide.

It is reported that Three Gorges Dam is made up of the Left Bank Power Station, the Right Bank Power Station, the Underground Power Station and the Power Source Station. Its designed installed capacity is 2250 kilowatt-hours which ranks first in the world. In the past 8 years, the electricity produced by Three Gorges Dam promoted the national economic development and strongly supported Beijing Olympic Games in 2008 and Shanghai World Expo in 2010. It also played a big role in relieving power pressure of large areas in China.

The first set of Three Gorges Left Bank Power Station was put into operation officially in July, 2003, since then Three Gorges Dam started its power generation. All the 26 sets of Three Gorges Dam were put into production with the last set of Three Gorges Right Power Station was put into operation in October, 2008. The Underground Power Station newly increased 3 sets, each of them enjoys an installed capacity of 0.7 million kilowatt-hours. The total installed capacity of Three Gorges Dam reaches 2040 kilowatt-hours.

With the successively operation and production of the sets of Three Gorges Power Station, its electricity generating capacity gets closer to its planned quantity gradually. The total installed capacity of Three Gorges Dam broke up 100 billion kilowatt-hours in February, 2006. The total installed capacity of Three Gorges Dam broke up 300 billion and 400 billion kilowatt-hours in 2009 and 2010.