Tibet’s Largest Hydropower Station Completed

After eight years of construction, and with an investment of RMB 9.6 billion, Tibet’s largest hydropower station became fully operational on October 13. It is the first to be built on the trunk of the Yarlung Zangbo River, and expected to significantly alleviate electricity shortages in central Tibet.

Positioned at over 3,300 meters above sea level, the Zangmu Hydropower Station has a total installed capacity of 510,000 kilowatts, and is designed to generate 2.5 billion kilowatt hours of electricity annually. A major project listed in the 11th and 12th Five-year Plans, it is funded and operated by China Huaneng Group and was built mainly by China Gezhouba Group Company Ltd.

The Zangmu Station also features the largest environmental-protection accessorial facility of hydropower projects in Tibet. The station includes a waste incineration plant and a waste water treatment plant, among other facilities. It has also conducted research on hydraulics in fish passages and the habits of rare fish species.