, Columnist
China’s Power Crisis Could Reach a Himalayan Scale
The drought triggering power cuts along the Yangtze heralds a far bigger problem that may doom hydro projects across much of Asia.
An exposed riverbed along the Jialing River near the confluence with the Yangtze in Chongqing, China.
Photographer: Qilai Shen/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
If you’re looking for an iconic example of humanity’s ability to harness nature to produce clean energy on a massive scale, it’s hard to ignore the Three Gorges Dam.
Built through the 2000s just as China’s rise was at its most headlong, the world’s largest power station can generate 22.5 gigawatts, equivalent to 20 nuclear plants. Two more of the world’s six biggest generators are upstream of its reservoir on the Yangtze River. Together, they pump out enough electricity to light up Poland.