Three Gorges Dam

The Three Gorges Dam is a large hydroelectric gravity dam on the Yangtze River in Hubei province, China, and is the world’s largest power station by installed capacity at about 22,500 megawatts. The dam spans the river and creates a long upstream reservoir.

The complex includes the main dam, a large upstream reservoir and extensive navigation facilities that allow ships to pass the barrier. Engineering highlights visible to visitors include the multi-stage ship locks and the power intake structures; organized tours and viewing platforms are available at nearby visitor centers.

Construction began in the 1990s as part of a national program for flood control, power generation and improved navigation; filling of the reservoir and commissioning of generating units took place through the 2000s. The project relocated populations, submerged archaeological and historical sites, and altered river ecology along the Yangtze.

The dam sits in a constricted section of the Yangtze River in Hubei province, roughly between the cities of Yichang upstream and Wuhan downstream, and forms a long reservoir that extends upstream into multiple provinces.

• Construction impact: Construction began in the 1990s and the project involved large-scale resettlement and landscape change along the Yangtze River.
• Visitor access: Best viewing points for the dam and locks are on the downstream banks, with visitor centers providing interpretation and organized tours in the nearby administrative areas.

What to See #

• Navigation locks and ship lift: A series of ship locks and a parallel ship lift that allow vessels to bypass the dam and navigate the Yangtze River; the locks handle most commercial traffic past the dam.
• Powerhouse and turbines: The power station complex containing multiple turbine-generator units with a combined installed capacity of about 22,500 megawatts, making it the largest hydroelectric installation by capacity.