Investigations into the Yong'an Pumped Storage Power Station, a key national project during China's 14th Five-Year Plan period, have revealed serious construction quality issues at its lower reservoir dam site in Fujian Province. The project, contracted to Power Construction Corporation Of China,Ltd (601669.SH) subsidiary Sinohydro Bureau 3 Co., Ltd., allegedly compromised structural integrity through multiple violations.
Hundreds of rock-bolting piles designed to reinforce dam abutment slopes show critical defects: actual installation lengths fell drastically short of specifications, with some reaching merely one-third of required measurements. More alarmingly, most piles skipped mandatory cement grouting procedures, with workers merely sealing pile openings superficially for inspection compliance.
Engineering experts warn these deficiencies directly threaten the dam's operational safety, as abutment stability determines reservoir integrity. Design documents specify each pile should comprise three standard steel bars welded with grouting pipes into an integrated structure. However, workers admitted to widespread use of spot-welding instead of full welding, with some piles missing grouting pipes entirely.
Photographic evidence shows workers manually inserting single steel bars (approximately 2m long) into boreholes, contravening procedures requiring simultaneous insertion of three bars. Proper technique demands sequential grouting: initial cement injection, pile insertion, then secondary grouting via pipes to seal voids. Shockingly, reports indicate one cement bag was stretched across over ten piles versus the standard four bags per pile.
An August 2025 construction memo confirms design modifications increasing pile length from 9m to 12m, yet field measurements revealed actual installations between 3-5m, with some under 2m. Southwest China hydraulic engineer noted: "Varying steel bar lengths constitute non-compliance - this violates fundamental safety protocols."
Project deputy manager Zhao Fei claimed design revisions eliminated grouting pipe requirements, though no official approval documents were produced. Supervision firm Zhejiang Huadong Engineering Consultants allegedly compromised oversight, with video evidence showing inspectors accepting contractor-hosted entertainment involving paid companionship.
The dam, designed to withstand 200-year flood events, requires over 1,000 reinforcement piles. Workers estimate only 30% meet specifications, with experts warning substandard piles reduce slope stability by 30-50% and risk structural fatigue. This follows an August slope collapse at another Power Construction Corporation Of China,Ltd subsidiary's worksite, raising concerns about systemic quality control failures.
Hydraulic design specialists emphasize that inadequate pile length or grouting creates "hollow piles" vulnerable to rock displacement, potentially triggering large-scale collapses that endanger the entire dam structure. Despite repeated requests, Power Construction Corporation Of China,Ltd leadership declined comment on these allegations.
Comments