Three Gorges Hydropower Station Reached Full Capacity in 2018 for the First Time

On July 3, the No. 1 power-generating unit on the left bank of Three Gorges was connected to the grid for power generation, enabling the Three Gorges Hydropower Station to reach its full capacity with all 34 units (including 2 power supply units of 50MWh) generating power for the first time this year. At 8:30, the output of the Station reached 20730 MW, setting a new record for the year.

Recently, continued rain in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, especially Sichuan Basin, and upstream reservoir adjustment have increased the inflow volume of the Three Gorges reservoir. At 20:00 on July 2, the water inflow reached 29200 m3/s. According to the latest forecast from the Yangtze Power Cascade Dispatch Center, the inflow volume will hit the peak on July 5 at 45000 m3/s. In order to minimize its impact, the Three Gorges Hydropower Station has turned on all of its generating units on July 3.

To ensure the safe operation of the Three Gorges Hydropower Station, CYPC has increased the frequency of equipment inspection, and leveraged TN8000 condition monitoring system, infrared thermometers and noise dosimeters to monitor the operation of units. This would help identify and resolve problems timely and guarantee the best working conditions for the units.

Currently, the Three Gorges Hydropower Station is ready for “2250 full capacity” during the flood season. CYPC will keep track of the operation of all the equipment in real time, strengthen flood mitigation and shift work to enable safe and stable operation of the Three Gorges Project.