PROFILE
THE THREE GORGES Dam has become the most influential hydropower project in the world , constructed at a total cost of $ 25 billion . Producing over 20,000 megawatts of clean and cheap electric power , the dam supplies enough energy to sustain the Chinese economy .
Spanning the Yangtze river , over 30 large turbine generators create a continual source of sufficient power to ensure the economy ’ s longevity . Although the construction has proved highly controversial , the dam is not only a tourist spot , but has contributed to the reduction of greenhouses gases and large number of floods which previously decimated the region , creating long-term damages to homes , businesses and the economy .
Originally conceived by President of the Republic of China Sun Yat-Sen back in 1919 , the concrete and steel dam reaches heights of 180 metres ( around 60 storeys ) and spans 2km . The area contains the dam , two ship locks to support freight traffic , in addition to a ship lift , all of which support the movement of over 18 million tonnes of freight per year .
A 17-year project Lasting 17 years , with over 40,000 workers undertaking the dam ’ s construction , the Three Gorges Dam is a fantastic feat of modern construction and engineering .
The Yangtze river is one of the largest rivers in the world , with engineers having to tackle several complex issues in order to begin construction work . The erection of stone cofferdams allowed engineers to block off parts of the river in order to undertake initial works and build the first sections of the dam . However , a section was left available for the river to continue to flow freely . These works then enabled engineers to construct a concrete cofferdam on top of several tonnes of earth , placed into the dry riverbed . Once construction of the dam was completed , the cofferdams were removed to allow water to reach the turbines built within the dam .
Thirty-two turbines have been embedded within the dam ’ s construction , with 34 generators weighing approximately 6,000 tonnes each , producing clean , renewable energy . Each turbine has the capacity of 700MW , making
10 March 2017