Doing Business
In the lush mountains of northern Guilin, a massive green energy project is taking shape. The Guanyang Pumped Storage Power Station, an 8-billion-yuan ($1.11 billion) national key project under China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), is quickly advancing, with over 500 workers pushing forward in full force.
Nestled 26 kilometers from Guanyang county, Guilin, the project features a 1,200MW system built around a natural elevation drop of 468 meters. It consists of two reservoirs, a water conveyance system, and a massive underground powerhouse. The upper and lower reservoirs sit in separate valleys, forming a giant "battery" for energy storage and supply.
Inside the mountain, engineers are excavating a cavern the size of a 20-story building. Advanced technologies, including intelligent drilling rigs and 3D geological modeling, are ensuring construction precision to within centimeters.
The ventilation tunnel. [Photo/Guilin Daily]
Above ground, dam construction races ahead. Two concrete-faced rockfill dams - 110 meters and 96 meters high - are rising on opposite sides of the mountain. Each is reinforced with cutting-edge safety systems, including flood tunnels and real-time monitoring.
Sustainability is a core principle. The project reduces forest use through optimized design, transforms waste zones into carbon sink forests, and incorporates fish migration channels. Innovative resettlement policies and eco-villages align ecological preservation with local livelihoods.
Underground powerhouse construction site. [Photo/Guilin Daily]
Set for completion in 2028, the station will become a vital energy hub and a catalyst for regional development, linking clean power with tourism and rural vitalization. This "green powerhouse" is redefining the value of mountains and water through harmony between nature and technology.
