Two major hydropower stations on the Dadu River have successfully commenced operations. The first generating units at the Zhentouba II and Jinchuan Hydropower Stations were connected to the grid in May.
As of May 31, a total of nine units from the two stations have been successively integrated into the power grid. This development adds approximately 950 megawatts of new hydropower capacity. These projects are among the first large-scale hydropower facilities to become operational in China during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, bolstering the clean energy supply system in the southwestern region.
The Dadu River basin is China's fifth-largest hydropower base, with a total installed capacity exceeding 27 gigawatts. It serves as a crucial power source for the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle.
Zhentouba II Hydropower Station
Located in Jinkouhe District, Leshan City, on the lower reaches of the Dadu River, the Zhentouba II station has a total capacity of 300 megawatts. It is a key energy project in Sichuan Province's 14th Five-Year Plan. Notably, it is the country's only clean energy project featuring integrated urban and station development. The station has achieved the milestone of commissioning its first unit and all six planned units within the same month.
Jinchuan Hydropower Station
Situated in Jinchuan County and Barkam City on the upper reaches of the Dadu River, the Jinchuan station boasts a total installed capacity of 860 megawatts. It is also a key construction project under Sichuan's 14th Five-Year Plan for energy development. The construction team built a 112-meter-high face rockfill dam, the tallest of its kind in China for similar regional projects. The station also features Asia's longest eco-mimetic fish passage, combining a natural river channel with a tunnel, demonstrating a deep integration of engineering technology and ecological conservation. Efforts are currently focused on connecting the station's remaining final generating unit to the grid.
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