An aerial view of the Kafue Gorge Lower Hydropower Station.
An aerial view of the Nam Ou River Cascade Hydropower Project in Laos.
POWERCHINA, as a global leader in the water resources and hydropower industry, has designed and built more than half of the world's large and medium-sized water conservancy and hydropower projects, contributing greatly to the fields of water conservancy and hydropower as well as pumping and energy storage.
The Kafue Gorge Lower Hydropower Station, the largest project in Zambia in the past 40 years, has been hailed as the "No.1 Project" of China-Zambia cooperation and a iconic project of the Belt and Road Initiative.
POWERCHINA signed the contract in November 2015, and commenced construction in June 2017. In March 2023, with the unveiling and ribbon-cutting ceremony by Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, all units of the hydropower station were put into operation.
Zambia's two presidents visited the jobsite five times, providing guidance and participating in ribbon-cutting ceremonies for important milestones. With a total installed capacity of 750 megawatts, the hydropower station is set to support Zambia's industrial development for the next 70 to 100 years.
Since the first unit was connected to the grid, the cumulative power generation of the hydropower station has exceeded 5 billion kilowatt-hours, providing a continuous and reliable power supply to southern Africa while alleviating the country's power shortage.
The Nam Ou River Cascade Hydropower Project in Laos is the only overseas hydropower project in which POWERCHINA is responsible for the planning and development of the entire river basin through a BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) investment model.
It is also POWERCHINA's first overseas hydropower project with integrated development along the entire industry chain.
The project will provide 12 percent of Laos' national power supply, providing a reliable power source for the country socio-economic development and the stable operation of the China-Laos Railway.
The first main dam of the Moragahakanda Reservoir in Sri Lanka is dubbed the "Three Gorges Project of Sri Lanka" and the "South-to-North Water Diversion Project of Sri Lanka." It is the first large-scale hydraulic hub project undertaken by POWERCHINA in Sri Lanka, as well as the largest of its kind in the country.
According to the Sri Lankan government website, the project irrigates over 80,000 hectares of downstream land, significantly increasing rice production. The reservoir produces 4,700 metric tons of fish annually, driving the development of local fisheries.
In addition, the project's annual power generation of 25 megawatts will save billions of dollars in expenses for the region each year when compared to local fuel-based power stations.
Throughout the construction process, POWERCHINA continuously innovated in terms of technology, addressing various challenges, ensuring the completion of projects, and promoting innovation and development in water conservancy, hydropower, and pumped storage technology.
Moreover, during project construction, POWERCHINA provided numerous jobs for local residents, offering them technical training, fulfilling social responsibilities such as road construction, bridge building, and donating to the community.
