Construction of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River began in 1993, the largest dam in the world. Ten years later, in 2003, it was put into operation. Upon its final completion in 2009, the river was dammed upstream from the city of Yichang, creating a reservoir stretching 660 kilometers. The dam itself is 175 meters high and spans a total length of 2,335 meters. The associated power plant generates 18,200 megawatts of electricity, equivalent to the output of approximately 15 nuclear power plants. The primary goal of the Three Gorges Dam is to meet China's enormous energy demand. Additionally, the project aims to improve navigation on the world's third-largest river, which was previously hindered by shallows and cliffs. Another objective is to control flooding from the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, thereby protecting the middle and lower reaches from potentially devastating floods.
