Zhou Jianping: Yellow River Hydropower Development Cannot Be “Destroyed by Waste”

The Yellow River is China's mother river and has abundant hydropower resources. There are two Yellow River basins in the 13 largest hydropower bases in China. In addition, the Heyuan section of the upper reaches of the Yellow River is also extremely rich in hydropower resources, which is the key point for future hydropower development in the Yellow River.

Although the hydropower development in the Yellow River is promising, many problems have limited its development. What should be done for the development of hydropower in the Yellow River, and where exactly is the outlet? The newspaper invited Zhou Jianping, Chief Engineer of China Hydropower Engineering Consulting Group Corporation, to interpret the Yellow River Hydropower Development.

Sediment is not a limiting factor

China Energy News: When it comes to hydropower development in the Yellow River Basin, we cannot bypass siltation. What is the current situation of sedimentation in the Yellow River hydropower development?

Zhou Jianping: The sediment problem in the Yellow River is very serious, but it must also be analyzed in detail. Its sedimentation in the upper, middle and lower reaches is different. Before the Lanzhou upper reaches, the sediment content is very low, the water is very clear, and the average annual sediment load is less than 2 kg/m3, which is basically the same as the rivers in the south. The amount of sediment in the upper Yellow River is only 9% of the total amount of sediment in the Yellow River. Therefore, in the hydropower development of this reach, the sediment problem does not constitute a major contradiction.

From the Hekou Town to the Yellow River section of the Sanmenxia Reservoir, the Loess Plateau that flows through is the most serious area of ​​soil erosion in China, and is also the main production area of ​​the Yellow River. More than 80% of the 1.6 billion tons of sediment discharged by the Yellow River is produced here. In the Yellow River estuary to the Longmen reach, the soil erosion is most serious. About 15,000 tons of soil per square kilometer is brought into the Yellow River by rain and wind each year, and this serious soil erosion area reaches 40,000 square kilometers. The average sediment concentration of 37 kg per cubic metre of water in the lower Yellow River is very alarming.

In order to fundamentally solve the sediment problem of the Yellow River, there are two methods: First, reduce the sand, that is, reduce the sediment content of the Yellow River water. Specifically, it is necessary to carry out water and soil treatment in the Yellow River Basin. However, this method takes a long time, and the project is complicated and difficult to achieve results in a short time. The second method is to increase water, that is, increase the amount of water in the Yellow River, so that the amount of sediment can be relatively reduced, and it can also reduce the impact of siltation. The key to this plan is to look at the progress of the western route of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project. At present, it seems difficult to implement it in the short-term.

However, with the completion of a number of hydroelectric stations with annual adjustment capabilities such as Liujiaxia, Xiaolangdi, and Wanjiazhai, the Yellow River itself has already possessed a preliminary water transfer capacity for sand adjustment, which also relieved the speed of sedimentation to a certain extent. Lower the bed height of the lower Yellow River. Since 2002, the mainstream of the Yellow River has carried out sand adjustment and water transfer for ten times. The effect is obvious, and many new scientific understandings have been achieved. Through this overall sand adjustment and water transfer, it not only improves the flooding capacity of the Yellow River, but also slows sedimentation in reservoirs such as Xiaolangdi and Sanmenxia, ​​and maintains the effective storage capacity of the reservoir.

We should make it clear that with more than 50 years of practical experience in the development of hydropower in the Yellow River, the sediment problem has not become a limiting factor in the development of the Yellow River.

Sanmenxia is a special historical product

China Energy News: When it comes to sedimentation, we cannot but talk about the Sanmenxia Reservoir. What is the significance and inspiration of Sanmenxia Reservoir for hydropower development in the Yellow River and even in China?

Zhou Jianping: The Sanmenxia project was the first water conservancy and hydropower project built on the Yellow River in China in the 1950s. It is based on flood control, and combines the benefits of flood prevention, irrigation, power generation, and water supply. Originally designed as a large-scale water conservancy and hydropower project with multi-year regulation of millions of kilowatts, due to the problems of sedimentation, it has been transformed and can only be operated as a radial power station. However, its function has not been completely lost. In terms of power generation, it can still provide 12-14 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity every year. For the downstream, it still plays an important role in irreplaceable flood control, irrigation, irrigation and water supply.

Sanmenxia Hydropower Station is a product of a special historical period. At that time, shortly after the founding of New China, it was urgently needed to turn water damage into water conservancy and develop the power needed for economic construction. The Sanmenxia project was launched at this time. Objectively speaking, at that time, the study on the comprehensive harnessing and development of the Yellow River Basin was insufficient, and the river sediment basic research was weaker. In addition to the lack of planning and design experience for large-scale hydropower projects, the design blindly followed Soviet experts and ignored the opinions and suggestions of a group of experts such as Huang Wanli. After the impoundment began in September 1960, the problem of silt deposition was immediately exposed and was later forced to be reconstructed and to lower the water level. This is a mistake in planning and design thinking and decision-making in engineering construction. The lesson is extremely profound.

At present, the Sanmenxia Reservoir has roughly half of its storage capacity, but it has reached a state of balance between erosion and sedimentation, and it can maintain its comprehensive role for a long time. The experience and lesson of Sanmenxia is a problem that cannot be bypassed in the development of hydropower in China. Although Sanmenxia has given us bitter lessons, we must not waste our food. We must pay attention to problems and study issues rather than just evading it. Only in this way can China's hydropower improve.
Pollution in the reservoir area is not caused by hydropower itself

China Energy News: Pollution in the reservoir area of ​​the Yellow River Basin is another serious problem. Is there a better solution?

Zhou Jianping: Compared with the development of rivers in the south, the water pollution in the lower reaches of the Yellow River is indeed more serious. However, this does not mean that all hydropower stations in the Yellow River have serious pollution. For example, the water quality of Longyangxia is very good. The water quality of the Liujiaxia Reservoir is also good. The water in the reservoir area is very clear and should belong to the second class water standard.

The pollution problem in the reservoir area of ​​the Yellow River Basin is not a problem in the reservoir area itself. The operation of the hydropower station does not discharge waste water, but the social and economic development of the entire area brings environmental problems. The pollutants (wastewater) in the reservoir area originate from market towns, cities and industrial parks in Kuju, and are mainly industrial pollution sources. Due to the extensive economic development model, there are some highly polluting industries on the mainstream of the Yellow River, especially the tributaries, such as mining and aluminum smelting. At the same time, there are a large number of small workshop companies whose industrial wastewater discharge becomes the main source of pollution in the reservoir area.

At the beginning of the Yellow River hydropower development, there was basically no problem of water pollution. At that time, there was no expectation that the water pollution was as serious as it is today. Therefore, the sewage disposal in the reservoir area was not fully considered and there was no drainage or cleaning facilities. This also led to the The pollution in the reservoir area has been further intensified. In the treatment of pollution in the reservoir area, the local government and related enterprises should mainly control the emission of industrial pollution sources and domestic waste water. At the same time, the reservoir area itself must establish a complete drainage and cleaning mechanism to remove debris in front of the dam. This needs to learn from the Three Gorges management experience and establish a professional team that not only solves environmental problems but also promotes employment.