The Lawa Hydropower Station, a crucial project under China's 14th Five-Year Plan, boasts the world's tallest concrete-faced rockfill dam. Constructed and designed by Power Construction Corporation of China, the dam has recently achieved significant milestones: surpassing a filling height of 200 meters and exceeding a total rockfill volume of 15 million cubic meters.
Standing at 239 meters tall, with a crest elevation of 2,709 meters and a total fill volume nearing 17 million cubic meters, this engineering marvel is a cornerstone of the upper Jinsha River clean energy base and a testament to China’s innovative construction and design.
Located in a deeply incised canyon on a high plateau, the dam site presents significant engineering challenges. Since the project’s inception, the construction team has prioritized meticulous planning and continuous optimization. A construction surface area of over 82,000 square meters has been established to support an intelligent construction model that integrates dam filling, grouting, material transportation, and quarry excavation. Unmanned roller fleets have been systematically applied throughout the filling process.
The project has also adopted large-scale use of new energy dump trucks in the cold, high-altitude environment for transporting dam materials. Around 90 new energy vehicles are currently in operation, supported by three newly built charging and battery-swapping stations. This innovative approach offers valuable experience for similar world-class hydropower projects in high-altitude regions.
With an installed capacity of 2 million kilowatts upon completion, the station will supply approximately 8.22 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity annually. This is expected to save around 2.8 million tons of standard coal and reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and particulates by about 9.1 million tons.
(Executive editor: Yuan Ting)
