First power relocation line for Three Gorges waterway project goes live

By Yan Wanqin.

The first power transmission line relocated to make way for the Three Gorges new waterway project is now in service, marking a key step in preparations for the major navigation project on the Yangtze River.

The project follows a "green engineering" approach. In mountainous areas where heavy machinery cannot reach tower sites, teams use mule trains to carry sand, gravel, and tower materials, reducing damage to vegetation and soil. Drones, precision hoisting equipment, large traction machines, and hydraulic tensioners are used for aerial work and material lifting, balancing construction needs with ecological protection.

So far, 48 towers have been erected under the 35-220 kV power relocation project, with overall progress reaching 31 percent, according to Mi Li, assistant director of the company's project management center. Under the construction plan, 20 lines in the initial phase will be relocated by the end of this year, 11 of them in Yichang.

The 35-kilovolt Letianxi-Longtanping line was energized on the evening of September 7 following a switching operation at the Longtanping substation in Yiling District.

The line had run through an area designated for the ship locks and navigation channel of the new waterway. Part of the original line occupied land reserved for a spoil disposal site, while its clearance height did not meet construction requirements.

Relocating the line has freed up about 30,000 square meters of construction space and removed a major obstacle to the large-scale relocation of power lines. The power relocation work is now at its busiest stage. Xu Ke, a site supervisor at State Grid Yichang Power Supply Company, said work covers the full process of foundation construction, tower erection, and conductor and ground wire stringing. Nearly 22 work sites are active each day, with more than 240 workers deployed at the same time.

Lei Chuntao contributed to this story.