First Units of Xinjiang Dashixia Water Control Project Connected to Power Grid, World’s Highest Concrete-Faced Sand-Gravel Dam Delivers Multiple Benefits

According to China Energy Engineering Corporation, the first two generating units, Unit 1 and Unit 2, of the Xinjiang Dashixia Water Control Project invested and constructed by China Gezhouba Group under China Energy Engineering Corporation have been connected to the power grid. 

As one of China’s key national water conservation and water supply projects, the commissioning of the initial units enables the mega project nestled deep in the Tianshan Mountains to start delivering ecological, flood control, irrigation and power generation benefits.

The Dashixia Water Control Project features a maximum dam height of 247 meters, setting a world record for concrete-faced sand-gravel dams. Dam filling work kicked off in September 2021, with a total filling volume of 18.9 million cubic meters. The power station has an installed capacity of 750 MW, equipped with three mixed-flow turbine generating units each rated at 250 MW. 

These are China’s first mixed-flow units with cylindrical valves tailored for high water head and heavy sediment conditions, capable of operating under wide water head variation, high sediment concentration and hard sediment particles. 

Digital management was adopted during equipment installation amid dry, windy climate and landslide-prone geological conditions. Key parameters including unit vibration, swing and bearing temperature maintained sound performance in trial operation.

Upon full completion, the project will generate 1.893 billion kWh of electricity per year, meeting the annual power demand of roughly 600,000 households and undertaking peak regulation for the power system in four prefectures of southern Xinjiang to ease regional power supply pressure. 

The reservoir will supply 3.42 billion cubic meters of ecological water to the Tarim River annually, alleviating water shortages for over 8 million mu of farmland in the Aksu River basin. The flood control standard of downstream river channels will be upgraded from once-in-10-years to once-in-50-years.