THREE GORGES DAM, CHINA
12.2 The management of energy supply
Case study: candidates must study one named located scheme
to produce electricity (e.g., a power station), showing some of the
issues of changes in demand and supply, in power production
and its location, and evaluate the success of the scheme.
Context
• Location: Eastern China, Across the Yangtze River
• Date: 2012 (running at full capacity)
• When water is released through the dam, it spins a
turbine connected to a generator that produces electricity
• 3GD = World’s largest dam/hydroelectric scheme
• The 3GD was not just built to provide energy, but also to help control the devastating floods that
plague the lowlands downstream from the dam, by controlling the amount of water that can pass
through at a given time. It’s a symbol of technological process and national pride for China.
• The dam is over 2km long and 100metres high
• Lake impounded behind it is over 600 kilometres long
• Total generating capacity – 22.5 Gigawatts
• Took nearly 2 decades to build
Successes:
ü One objective of such a large capacity is to reduce China's dependence on coal
ü The dam supplies Shanghai and Chongqing in particular with electricity
ü 103 billion KhW energy produced in 2021
ü estimated to meet about 10% of China’s total electricity needs.
ü The dam has improved the Chinese inland shipping system. Areas of the valley that were once out of
reach for ships are now becoming major ports of trade.
Evaluations
SOCIO-ECONOMIC:
o 1.3 million people were forced to move because their homes were flooded
o Over 800 cultural and historic sites have been flooded
o Good agricultural land has been lost; many farmers using less fertile, marginal soil. Have cleared trees
here, further up the hills leading to soil erosion and destabilised hillsides.
o Slow moving reservoir means that pollutants collect
o $70bn? – the true cost will never be known as the project requires costly maintenance such as re-
enforcing valley sides and dredging
ENVIRONMENTAL:
o the area is seismically active, and landslides are frequent
o Yangtze river dolphin has not been seen since 2006
o Dam created a huge slow-moving reservoir: changed the natural fast flowing river ecosystem;
plants/animals unable to survive
20 MARKERS:
ü Evaluate the success of one named located scheme to produce electricity
ü ‘People have different views about the scheme’s success’ How far is this true of the one named located
scheme to produce electricity?
12.2 The management of energy supply
Case study: candidates must study one named located scheme
to produce electricity (e.g., a power station), showing some of the
issues of changes in demand and supply, in power production
and its location, and evaluate the success of the scheme.
Context
• Location: Eastern China, Across the Yangtze River
• Date: 2012 (running at full capacity)
• When water is released through the dam, it spins a
turbine connected to a generator that produces electricity
• 3GD = World’s largest dam/hydroelectric scheme
• The 3GD was not just built to provide energy, but also to help control the devastating floods that
plague the lowlands downstream from the dam, by controlling the amount of water that can pass
through at a given time. It’s a symbol of technological process and national pride for China.
• The dam is over 2km long and 100metres high
• Lake impounded behind it is over 600 kilometres long
• Total generating capacity – 22.5 Gigawatts
• Took nearly 2 decades to build
Successes:
ü One objective of such a large capacity is to reduce China's dependence on coal
ü The dam supplies Shanghai and Chongqing in particular with electricity
ü 103 billion KhW energy produced in 2021
ü estimated to meet about 10% of China’s total electricity needs.
ü The dam has improved the Chinese inland shipping system. Areas of the valley that were once out of
reach for ships are now becoming major ports of trade.
Evaluations
SOCIO-ECONOMIC:
o 1.3 million people were forced to move because their homes were flooded
o Over 800 cultural and historic sites have been flooded
o Good agricultural land has been lost; many farmers using less fertile, marginal soil. Have cleared trees
here, further up the hills leading to soil erosion and destabilised hillsides.
o Slow moving reservoir means that pollutants collect
o $70bn? – the true cost will never be known as the project requires costly maintenance such as re-
enforcing valley sides and dredging
ENVIRONMENTAL:
o the area is seismically active, and landslides are frequent
o Yangtze river dolphin has not been seen since 2006
o Dam created a huge slow-moving reservoir: changed the natural fast flowing river ecosystem;
plants/animals unable to survive
20 MARKERS:
ü Evaluate the success of one named located scheme to produce electricity
ü ‘People have different views about the scheme’s success’ How far is this true of the one named located
scheme to produce electricity?
