China Huaneng's Zangmu Hydropower Project Achieves River Closure in Tibet

---

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--China Huaneng Group's 510-megawatt (MW) Zangmu hydropower station, the largest hydropower station in Tibet, successfully achieved river closure in Jiacha County, in the Shannan prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region on November 12, 2010, according to the No.8 Engineering Bureau of Sinohydro Corporation (Changsha, Hunan), the main contractor of the project.

Zangmu hydropower station, located in the middle reaches of Yaluzangbu River, is the first large-scale hydropower station in Tibet. The project included construction of a 116-meter-high gravity dam, which will form a daily regulated reservoir with a maximum storage capacity of 86.6 million cubic meters under a normal pool level of 3,310 meters above sea level, and a river-bed type powerhouse, which will be furnished with six 85-MW units. Total estimated investment of the project will be about $1.18 billion. According to the schedule, first unit of the project is expected to begin operations in 2014.

The project received approval from the National Development and Reform Commission in July this year. The No.8 Engineering Bureau of Sinohydro Corporation won the C1 Bid for the open diversion channel, powerhouse civil works and metal works through competitive bidding. Upon careful preparation, the open diversion channel was prepared for river diversion on September 30, 2010. The downstream cofferdam and upstream cofferdam were removed to achieve river diversion on October 30 and November 5, respectively. Through one week of operation, river closure was successfully completed on November 12, 2010.

The success in river closure marks that the project is ready to enter into its main construction stage soon. As the first 500-MW hydropower project in Tibet, the project will be a key power station in the Central Tibet Grid upon completion. The station will not only supply sufficient power to meet the rapid social and economic development in central Tibet, but also ensure the safe and reliable operation of the Central Tibet Grid.

View Project Report - 300019843

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. IIR's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.