Construction will finish by the end of 2015 on eight large hydropower zones, each comprising several hydroelectric plants and each producing tens of millions of kilowatts. By then, the national production of hydroelectricity will reach 910 billion kilowatt-hours, according to a report on xinhua.com. An authoritative source reveals that in the coming 12th Five-year Plan of Renewable Energy Resources, hydropower will be the most prioritized source of renewable energy. During the 12th Five-year Plan period, China will begin construction on more than 60 key hydropower projects.
Previously the market expectation predicted six major hydropower zones, but the goal has now increased to eight. Analysts say that the process of authorizing hydropower projects has accelerated since the beginning of this year. This Five-year Plan clearly emphasizes hydropower projects as a goal, and this emphasis will comprehensively speed up the activation procedure for such projects and bring about a turning point for the industry.
Over 60 hydropower projects to begin construction in five years
The above mentioned source indicated that the next five years will see construction start on major hydropower zones on the Jinsha River, the Yalong River, the Dadu River, the Lancang River, the Nujiang River, the upper main strem of the Yellow River, the Zangbo River in Tibet and one other river.
It is expected that during the 12th Five-year Plan period, the country’s hydroelectric production will reach about 87.5 million kilowatts. Within the large hydropower zones, the plants operating on main stem rivers that will go into operation are Xiluodu, Xiangjiaba, Jinping, Nuozadu, etc. They are expected to produce about 52 million kilowatts. Sichuan, Yunnan and other provinces in China will see about 35.5 million kilowatts generated by their hydroelectric plants on tributary rivers. By the end of 2015, the net estimated installed capacity of these plants is expected to reach about 284 million kilowatts. If this estimation is realized, China will be exploiting 71% of its available hydroelectric power: 100% of that from eastern and central China and about 54% of the available hydroelectric power in west China.
The development of pumped-storage hydroelectric plants will accelerate. A few days ago, the Energy Department issued a statement requesting a moderate acceleration in the construction of pumped-storage hydroelectric plants.
According to Zhang Boting, the Assistant Secretary General of the Chinese Society of Hydroelectric Engineering, the 12th Five-year Plan has adjusted the construction goal of pumped-storage hydroelectric plants from 50 to 80 million kilowatts.
