The first batch of Units 5 and 6 at Zhentouba II Hydropower Station on the Dadu River successfully completed a 72-hour trial operation and officially began power generation on May 19. The project has become China’s first large-scale hydropower project to commence power generation since the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, providing strong support for energy structure optimization and clean energy development in Sichuan Province in southwestern China.
Zhentouba II Hydropower Station
Zhentouba II Hydropower Station is located on the main stream of the Dadu River in Jinkouhe District, Leshan City, Sichuan Province. It is the 22nd cascade hydropower station under the adjusted development plan for the Dadu River. The station has a total installed capacity of 300 megawatts and is designed to house six bulb tubular turbine-generator units, each with a capacity of 50 megawatts. It is both a key local infrastructure project and a demonstration project for large-scale clean hydropower development under China’s integrated city-station development model.
During construction, the project achieved industry breakthroughs in multiple areas, including hydropower construction techniques and grid-connection commissioning of generating units. Compared with conventional methods, it shortened the overall construction schedule by nearly 60 days. Within four days, three generating units, two main transformers and two 500-kilovolt transmission lines were successfully connected to the grid. While significantly reducing the construction period, the project also set new domestic records for the installation and commissioning of large bulb tubular turbine-generator units, providing mature practical experience for the construction of similar hydropower projects.
After full-capacity commissioning, the hydropower station is expected to generate approximately 1.503 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. It will further strengthen clean energy supply capacity in southwestern China, support Sichuan Province in accelerating the green transformation of its energy structure, and promote green, low-carbon and sustainable economic and social development.
