Maerdang Dam

Maerdang Dam
Maerdang Dam is located in China
Maerdang Dam
Location of Maerdang Dam in China
CountryChina
LocationMaqên County, Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province
Coordinates34°40′21.44″N 100°41′32.43″E / 34.6726222°N 100.6923417°E / 34.6726222; 100.6923417
PurposePower
StatusUnder construction
Construction began2011
Opening date2024
Dam and spillways
Type of damEmbankment, concrete-face rock-fill
ImpoundsYellow River
Height211 m (692 ft)
Reservoir
Total capacity1,482,000,000 m3 (1,201,000 acre⋅ft)
Commission date2024
TypeConventional
Turbines5 (4 x 550 MW and 1 x 120 MW)
Installed capacity2.3 GW
Annual generation7.3 TW

The Maerdang Dam is a concrete-face rock-fill dam on the upper Yellow River in Maqên County, Qinghai Province, China. Construction on the dam began in 2011 and its hydropower station was originally expected to be operational in 2018.[1][2] On 13 November 2013, the river was successfully diverted around the construction site. [3]

The complex is located at an elevation of over 3,000 m AMSL, and its construction presented extreme challenges due to the high altitude, cold climate and lower oxygen level, which delayed its completion. Located in a nature reserve, the construction of the hydropower station required measures aimed to mitigate its impact on local wildlife, including fish lifts that help fish migrate upstream.

The power plant went into full operation as the last one of its five turbines was successfully connected to the power grid on December 31, 2024. The station is operated by CHN Energy, a state-owned energy enterprise and has a total installed capacity of 2.32 GW. Maerdang hydropower station is expected to generate an average of over 7.3 TW of electricity each year. [4]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Its own power station" (in Chinese). Xinheng Group. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  2. ^ "Pre-evaluation of the safety gear Martha hydropower site investigation activities" (in Chinese). Hydro China. 17 March 2014. Archived from the original on 24 September 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  3. ^ "Maerdang Hydropower Station on Yellow River Achieves Initial River Diversion". Industrial Info. 3 December 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  4. ^ "China's Maerdang Hydropower Station to complete final testing, set for full operation". Retrieved 1 January 2025.