Published : 2026-07-10

On 10 July, 2003, the first power generator of the Three Gorges Dam project—the No.2 generating unit, was connected to the grid.

The No.2 unit began to supply electricity to the grid at dawn, operating at a load of 530,000 kilowatts and could supply over 12.9 million kilowatt-hours of electricity daily to the Central and Southern China power grids.

The project engineers pointed out that the No.2 unit was the largest and most powerful hydropower unit in the world that had been put into operation, with an installed capacity of 700,000 kilowatts and a maximum load that could reach 756,000 kilowatts.

After the No.2 unit was connected to the grid, there were a 30-day operation inspection period.

The No.2 unit was procured through international tendering.

VGS, a multinational group comprising German firms Voith GmbH, Siemens, and American firm General Electric, was the manufacturer. The installation work was completed by Sinohydro Engineering Bureau 8.

Before it began supplying to the grid, the No.2 unit had undergone operation trials, during which it generated over 86 million kilowatt-hours of electricity.

The Three Gorges Dam project has a total of 26 power units, each with an installed capacity of 700,000 kilowatts.

When they are all in operation, the annual electricity production can reach approximately 100 billion kilowatt-hours, saving about 35 million tonnes of coal each year, which eases the shortage of power supply in Central, Eastern, and Southern China.