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Xiluodu Dam: Powering Progress Amid Displacement and Disruption

4/17/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The Xiluodu Hydropower Station, a colossal engineering marvel straddling Sichuan and Yunnan, boasts an impressive capacity of 13,860 MW. Since its completion in 2007, it has generated a staggering 57.12 billion kWh each year, bolstering energy security and flood control. Yet, this progress came at a cost, displacing 180,000 people and disrupting local ecosystems.

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Story summary

The Xiluodu Hydropower Station, a colossal engineering marvel straddling Sichuan and Yunnan, boasts an impressive capacity of 13,860 MW. Since its completion in 2007, it has generated a staggering 57.12 billion kWh each year, bolstering energy security and flood control. Yet, this progress came at a cost, displacing 180,000 people and disrupting local ecosystems.