Yantan Dam

Yantan Dam
Yantan Dam
	Location of Yantan Dam in China
Country	China
Location	Dahua Yao Autonomous County, Guangxi
Coordinates	24°02′26″N 107°30′43″E / 24.04056°N 107.51194°E
Status	In use
Construction began	1985
Opening date	1995
Owner(s)	Guangxi Electric Power Bureau
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Gravity
Impounds	Hongshui River
Height	110 m (361 ft)
Length	525 m (1,722 ft)
Spillways	7
Spillway type	Service, crest overflow
Spillway capacity	33,400 m3/s (1,179,510 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
Creates	Yantan Reservoir
Total capacity	2,612,000,000 m3 (2,117,583 acre⋅ft)
Catchment area	106,580 km2 (41,151 sq mi)
Surface area	107.5 km2 (42 sq mi)
Power Station
Commission date	1992-1995
Hydraulic head	85 m (279 ft) (max.)
Turbines	4 x 302.5 MW Francis turbines
Installed capacity	1,210 MW
Annual generation	56.6 million kWh

The Yantan Dam (Chinese: 岩滩大坝; pinyin: Yántān Dàbà) is a gravity dam on the Hongshui River near Dahua County, Guangxi China. The main purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power production and it has an associated 1,210 MW power station consisting of 4 x 302.5 MW Francis turbine-generators.

Construction

The dam was placed on the state key project list in 1984 and construction began in March 1985. By November 1987, the river was diverted and in March 1992, the dam began to impound the reservoir. On September 16, 1992, the first generator was operational nine months ahead of schedule. The second generator was operation in August 1993, the third in June 1994 and the fourth in June 1995. By the end of 1995, the entire project was complete. The dam is owned by Guangxi Electric Power Bureau while Guangxi Electricpower Investigation and Design Institute designed it and Guangxi Yantan Hydropower Project Construction Corporation constructed it. 43,176 people were relocated as a result of the project.^[1]

Design

The facility is composed of the dam, its power station and a ship lift. The dam is a 110 m (361 ft) high and 525 m (1,722 ft) long gravity dam. It withholds a reservoir with a normal capacity of 2,612,000,000 m³ (2,117,583 acre⋅ft), maximum capacity of 3,432,000,000 m³ (2,782,368 acre⋅ft) and active or "useful" storage of 1,572,000,000 m³ (1,274,441 acre⋅ft). The dam's spillway contains seven radial steel gates with a maximum discharge capacity of 33,400 m³/s (1,179,510 cu ft/s). The power station at its right toe is 200 m (656 ft) long, 60 m (197 ft) wide and 72 m (236 ft) high. The power station is supported by four intakes, penstocks and tailraces. It contains 4 x 302.5 MW Francis turbines for an installed capacity of 1,210 but operates at a firm capacity of 242 MW. The Yantan Ship Lift is a vertical lift type designed for a maximum 250 ton barge vessel.^[1]