Scale: 22.5 GW capacity, world’s largest power station, completed 2012, displaced 1.4M people
…testing the integration of data-points in maps, by using Leaflet’s scripts – this is now a quite well advanced and at the same time, a simple solution (made possible by Leaflet – behind which stands, and we shall express our gratitude to Volodymyr Agafonkin, an Ukrainian, from Kyiv). It can be expanded and used for many things involving interactive maps and geo-spatial elements. In this test, if you zoom out enough, you’ll discover many informative points around China’s hydrography and the systems connected with it (in 4 data-layers, see the legend, in different colors – water bodies (lakes, rivers), engineering projects, historical floods, ancient historical sites). Of course, this isn’t something ‘new’, it can be done by using Google maps, Meta maps, Microsoft Maps etc., we just wanted to make our own simple solution, clean, unpolluted : ) – S. Guraziu, Sky Division & Logios, 2025)
1919 – First Concept – Sun Yat-sen proposes idea for a dam on Yangtze River to control flooding
1954 – Devastating Floods – Yangtze River floods kill over 30,000 people, highlighting need for flood control
1992 – Official Approval – National People’s Congress approves the project despite unprecedented opposition
1994 – Construction Begins – Official ceremony marks start of the 17-year construction project
2003 – First Power Generation – First generators become operational; ship locks begin functioning
2006 – Dam Completion – Main wall of dam reaches its final height of 181 meters
2012 – Full Operation – All 32 generators operational; becomes world’s largest power station
2020 – Record Flood Control – Dam successfully manages largest flood peak since construction
The Three Gorges Dam: A Monument of Power and Sacrifice
The Three Gorges Dam on China’s Yangtze River is a testament to modern engineering ambition. Completed in 2012, it is the world’s largest power station by installed capacity, a title it holds not just as a mark of technical prowess but as a symbol of China’s rapid development and its immense energy needs.
The Scale of Achievement
With a staggering generating capacity of 22,500 Megawatts, the dam harnesses the mighty Yangtze to produce an immense amount of clean(er) hydroelectric power. This electricity fuels the industrial heartland of central China, powering millions of homes and businesses while theoretically reducing the reliance on coal-fired plants, a significant step for the country’s environmental goals.
Beyond power generation, the dam was designed for two other critical purposes: flood control and navigation improvement. For centuries, the Yangtze’s seasonal floods have been catastrophic, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives throughout history. The dam’s reservoir is designed to absorb these floodwaters, protecting downstream cities like Wuhan and Nanjing. Additionally, it has transformed the river’s gorges into a series of deep-water locks, enabling larger cargo ships to travel deep into China’s interior, boosting economic connectivity.
The Weight of Its Legacy
However, the dam’s legacy is inextricably linked to its immense human cost. To create the vast reservoir that stretches for hundreds of kilometers behind the dam, an estimated 1.4 million people were displaced from their homes, ancestral towns, and farmlands. Entire cities, countless historical sites, and vast swathes of fertile land now lie submerged beneath the water.
The resettlement process was one of the largest of its kind in human history. While the government undertook a massive effort to build new towns and cities, the process was fraught with challenges. Many displaced residents faced difficulties adapting to new environments, finding new livelihoods, and receiving adequate compensation, leading to significant social upheaval and controversy that continues to be discussed today.
Furthermore, the project has had significant environmental consequences. The alteration of the river’s ecosystem has impacted fish populations and biodiversity, and the reservoir has become a trap for industrial pollution and silt, which affects water quality and the long-term stability of the dam itself.
A Balanced Perspective
The Three Gorges Dam, therefore, stands as a complex symbol. It is undeniably a masterpiece of engineering that provides clean energy and protects millions from floods. Yet, it is also a powerful reminder that progress on such a colossal scale carries profound sacrifices. It represents the fundamental trade-off between national development and individual displacement, between harnessing nature and altering it irrevocably.
It is not merely a wall of concrete, but a monument to both human ingenuity and the heavy price that is sometimes paid for it.