How is a Dam Built? Baihetan Dam, Second largest to Three Gorge's Dam

Inside China’s Baihetan Dam: How One of the World’s Largest Hydropower Projects Was Built

Baihetan Dam is not just a megastructure—it’s a global engineering marvel and one of the biggest hydropower projects in human history. Located on the mighty Jinsha River, straddling the border of Sichuan and Yunnan provinces in southwest China, this dam is a cornerstone of China’s push toward clean energy and carbon neutrality. But how exactly was this colossal project constructed? Let’s break down the fascinating process behind the making of the Baihetan Dam—a story of extreme engineering, innovation, and massive scale.

The journey began with site preparation and river diversion. Engineers first needed to tame the Jinsha River, one of the most powerful rivers in Asia. Temporary cofferdams were built to block and divert the river's flow, creating a dry foundation area. Blasting and excavation removed millions of cubic meters of rock to form a stable riverbed. These initial steps were critical in preparing the site for large-scale construction.

Once the site was cleared, foundation treatment was next. Workers injected grout deep into the rock layers beneath the dam to prevent seepage and strengthen the foundation. This stage is crucial in any large dam project to ensure long-term structural integrity.

Then came the main dam structure, constructed using roller-compacted concrete (RCC)—a fast, cost-effective, and ultra-strong material ideal for massive infrastructure. The Baihetan Dam stands 289 meters (948 feet) tall and stretches over 720 meters wide. RCC was poured layer by layer, using high-precision machinery and 24/7 scheduling to speed up progress while maintaining safety and quality.

Now, here comes the heart of the project—the hydropower system. Baihetan Dam houses 16 giant turbines, each with a capacity of 1 million kilowatts, making them the world’s most powerful hydro-turbines. These turbines were engineered and built in China, showcasing the country’s rapid progress in high-end manufacturing and energy technology. Massive penstocks channel water from the reservoir into the turbines, generating up to 62.44 billion kWh of clean electricity annually—enough to power millions of homes across China.

The spillway system is another impressive component. Built to handle rare flood events, Baihetan's spillways can safely release massive volumes of water downstream without damaging the dam or causing erosion. Advanced flood control and monitoring technologies help regulate flow with precision.

The entire project, from planning to grid connection, took over a decade and required tens of thousands of skilled workers, engineers, and scientists. Baihetan officially began full operation in 2022, becoming a symbol of China’s green transformation, sustainable energy development, and technological leadership in hydropower infrastructure.

If you’re fascinated by mega engineering projects, clean energy solutions, and China’s incredible construction feats, the Baihetan Dam is a story worth watching. This is more than just a dam—it’s the future of energy, built today.