The dam of the world’s first 500-megawatt high-head impulse hydropower unit was successfully topped out on August 25 with a final coat of concrete.
The construction milestone lays a solid foundation for the subsequent water impoundment, grid connection and power generation at Datang Zala Hydropower Station in Southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, which consists of two 500-MW impulse hydropower units.
The concrete masonry gravity dam has a maximum height of 70 meters and a length of 217 meters. It has a total concrete pouring volume of 187,500 cubic meters. This core hydraulic structure is critical for the stable and reliable operation of the entire hydropower station.
Datang Zala Hydropower Station is a major project designed to transmit electricity generated in Xizang to other parts of China and serves as a crucial power source for the clean energy base that will integrate hydro, wind and solar power in southeastern Xizang, a project outlined in the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30).
Once fully operational, the hydropower station is expected to generate nearly 4 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity per year, saving about 1.3 million tons of standard coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 3.42 million tons annually. It will significantly contribute to China’s carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals and promote high-quality social and economic development in the region.
(Executive editor: Zuo Shihan)
