China completed the construction of its highest altitude 220-kV transmission and transformation project in Hotan Prefecture of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Saturday, marking the birth of the country's first power transmission line traversing the Kunlun Mountains.
The 210-kilometer transmission line reaches a maximum elevation of 5,390 meters. Its construction began in February 2023, with the line running from the Wutong 220kV substation in Moyu County to a newly built 220kV substation in Hongliuzhen Town, Hotan County.
Running through the Gobi Desert, steep mountain passes and high peaks along the Karakax River, the project involved the construction of 560 power transmission towers across 8 construction sections.
Once operational, the line will help stabilize power supply for rural residents in mountainous areas of Moyu, Hotan and Pishan Counties, while supporting the rapid industrial development of the Hotan region.
China's highest 220-kV power transmission, transformation project completed
Persistent heavy rainfall has led to rising water levels across the Yangtze River basin, creating significant flood control challenges for the areas along the main streams and tributaries.
The Three Gorges Reservoir, located upstream on the Yangtze in central China's Hubei Province, has been gradually reducing its discharge rate to alleviate pressure on downstream areas. On Thursday, the outflow was reduced from 24,000 cubic meters per second to 18,000 cubic meters per second and was further lowered to 14,000 cubic meters per second on Friday. This has caused the reservoir level to rise by approximately 2.9 meters, storing 1.46 billion cubic meters of floodwater.
One of the Yangtze's major tributaries, the Zijiang River in central China's Hunan Province, has also experienced significant flooding. The Shaoyang hydrological station recorded water levels exceeding the warning level, triggering the fourth flood event of this year on Zijiang.
The Miluo River, another river flowing through Hunan, flows from east to west into Dongting Lake before joining the Yangtze River. On Monday afternoon, the water level at the Pingjiang hydrological station on the Miluo River hit 77 meters, exceeding the warning level by about seven meters.
Torrential rains have affected over 200,000 people in Pingjiang County, with more than 1,000 roads and bridges damaged and public transportation disrupted. No casualties have been reported so far.
In east China's Anhui Province, the town of Huikou in Susong County is the first town the Yangtze enters as it flows into Anhui. Water levels at the Huikou hydrological station have been rising continuously, exceeding the warning level by about one meter by Monday afternoon. The water levels along the main course of the Yangtze River in the province have all exceeded the flood warning levels and continue to rise.
Additionally, 19 tributaries including the Shuiyang River, Chuhe River, and Xihe River have also surpassed their respective warning levels.
Yangtze River basin battles severe flooding after intense rainfall
