| Xiluodu Dam | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Location of Xiluodu Dam in China | |
 | |
| Official name | 溪洛渡大坝 |
| Location | Xiluodu Town,Yongshan County,Yunnan/Leibo CountySichuan,China |
| Coordinates | 28°15′35.46″N103°38′58.20″E / 28.2598500°N 103.6495000°E /28.2598500; 103.6495000 |
| Construction began | December 2005 |
| Opening date | July 2013 |
| Construction cost | US$6.2 billion |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Double-curvature arch, concrete |
| Impounds | Jinsha River |
| Height | 285.5 m (937 ft)[1][2] |
| Length | 700 m (2,300 ft) |
| Elevation at crest | 610 m (2,000 ft) |
| Spillway type | 7 × crestfloodgates, 7 × orifices, 4 × tunnels |
| Spillway capacity | 32,278 m3/s (1,139,900 cu ft/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Xiluodu Reservoir |
| Total capacity | 12,670,000,000 cubic metres (10,270,000 acre⋅ft) |
| Active capacity | 6,460,000,000 cubic metres (5,240,000 acre⋅ft) |
| Catchment area | 454,400 km2 (175,400 sq mi) |
| Normal elevation | 600 m (2,000 ft) |
| Xiluodu Hydropower Station | |
| Operator | China Yangtze Power |
| Commission date | 2013–2014 |
| Turbines | 18 × 770MWFrancis-type |
| Installed capacity | 13,860 MW |
| Annual generation | 55.2TWh (2015) |
TheXiluodu Dam (simplified Chinese:溪洛渡大坝;traditional Chinese:溪洛渡大壩;pinyin:Xīluòdù Dàbà) is anarch dam on theJinsha River, i.e. the upper course of theYangtze inChina. It is located near thetown of Xiluodu inYongshan County ofYunnan Province but the dam straddles intoLeibo County ofSichuan Province on the opposite side of the river. The primary purpose of the dam ishydroelectric power generation and its power station has an installed capacity of 13,860MW. Additionally, the dam provides forflood control, silt control and its regulated water releases are intended to improvenavigation downstream. Construction on the dam and power station began in 2005 and the first generator was commissioned in 2013, the last in 2014. It is operated byChina Yangtze Power and is currentlythe fourth-largest power station in the world, as well asthe fifth tallest dam world-wide.[3][4]
The Xiluodu Dam is located on the Jinsha (Upper Yangtze) River as it exits the mountainous region of theHengduan Mountains andYungui Plateau and enters theSichuan Basin. This part of the Jinsha flows between theDaliang Mountains in Sichuan on the left (northwest) bank, and theWulian Feng in Yunnan on the right (southeast) bank. The Jinsha falls to an elevation of 400 m (1,300 ft) above sea level here while mountains rise more than 2,000 m (6,600 ft) above the Jinsha on either side.[5]
Preliminary construction (roads, bridges, tunnels) for the dam began in 2003 and work on main structures officially commenced on 26 December 2005. In November 2007, the Jinsha was successfully diverted around the construction site, allowing the dam to be built. Concrete pouring began in 2008.[6] The reservoir was impounded in May 2013 and the first of 18×770 MWFrancis turbine-generators was commissioned on 15 July 2013.[7] The fourteenth generator was commissioned in April 2014.[8] The eighteenth and final generator was commissioned on 30 June 2014.[3]
The Xiluodu is a 285.5 m (937 ft) tall and 700 m (2,300 ft) long double-curvature arch dam. It is the third tallest arch dam in the world and a key component of theJinsha River Project. It withholds a reservoir of 12,670,000,000 cubic metres (10,270,000 acre⋅ft) of which 6,460,000,000 cubic metres (5,240,000 acre⋅ft) is considered active storage for power generation. The dam contains severalspillways to include seven surface outlets, eight mid-level orifices and four spillway tunnels. All spillways afford a maximum discharge of 32,278 m3/s (1,139,900 cu ft/s).[9] The dam's power station is split into twounderground power stations, one located behind the right abutment, the second behind the left abutment. Each power station contains nine 770 MWFrancis turbine-generators for a total installed capacity of 13,860 MW.[10]
