# Baihetan Dam — World's Second-Largest Power Station

**URL:** https://thecodex.expert/energy/water/baihetan/
**Session:** 27 | **Date:** 2026-05-05

## Summary

Baihetan Dam (白鹤滩, 27.22N 102.89E), Jinsha River (upper Yangtze), Yunnan/Sichuan border, China. World's 2nd largest power station at 16,000 MW (after Three Gorges 22,500 MW). 16 × 1,000 MW Francis turbine units — world's largest single-unit hydro turbines. Arch dam, height 289m, reservoir 20.67 Gm³. Annual generation ~62.4 TWh. Full commissioning December 2022. Construction cost ~CNY 223 billion (~$34B). Operator: Three Gorges Corporation. UHVDC transmission: two ±800 kV lines (2,087 km to Jiangsu, 2,121 km to Zhejiang, 8,000 MW each). Part of Jinsha cascade (Wudongde 26.82N 102.67E, Baihetan, Xiluodu 28.26N 103.63E, Xiangjiaba 28.64N 104.44E, total 46,460 MW). Sources: Three Gorges Corporation AR 2023, IHA 2023.