First batch of power lines relocated for Three Gorges waterway project
2026-11-02 19:11:57
By Yan Wanqin.
The first batch of cross-river power transmission lines for the Three Gorges new waterway project was relocated on October 31, marking a key step forward for the major infrastructure project in Yichang.
The first batch of cross-river power transmission lines for the Three Gorges new waterway project was relocated on October 31, marking a key step forward for the major infrastructure project in Yichang.
Workers dismantle a power transmission tower standing in the river as part of the power line relocation.The completed work involved the 220-kilovolt Gezhouba-Yiling (Geyi) and Gezhouba-Changbanpo (Gepo) lines, the first transmission lines relocated for the project and the first cross-river lines involved.
The relocation included high-risk and technically demanding procedures, such as riverbed cofferdam construction for tower foundations, coordinated multi-crane assembly of cross-river pylons, and cross-river conductor stringing, said Zhu Wanbo, project manager of the 220-kilovolt power line relocation project under State Grid Yichang Power Supply Company.
The two newly built pylons stand near the Gezhouba Dam and several active transmission lines, posing significant challenges due to limited space and strict precision requirements, Zhu added.
The Geyi and Gepo lines serve as important channels for power transmission from the Gezhouba hydropower station, supplying electricity to Yichang's central urban districts and key industrial users. To minimize disruptions to power transmission and local daily life and production, State Grid Yichang Power Supply Company implemented load transfer measures and deployed round-the-clock patrol teams.
The Three Gorges new waterway project involves the relocation of 48 power lines in total. The two completed lines constitute the first batch of 220-kilovolt relocations. State Grid Yichang Power Supply Company plans to complete the relocation of five more 220-kilovolt lines by the end of this year.
Lei Chuntao also contributed to the story.
