China Three Gorges Corporation

China Three Gorges Corporation, established in 1993, is a super-large clean energy group supervised by the SASAC. The group focuses on large-scale hydropower development, having invested in the world-famous Three Gorges Project, and actively expands into wind, solar, and other new energy businesses.

The institutional history of China Three Gorges Corporation is tied to China's long-running effort to develop the Three Gorges Project on the Yangtze River. Proposals for a major dam in the Three Gorges region had circulated since the twentieth century, but the project became a national infrastructure priority in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1993, the Chinese government established China Three Gorges Project Corporation as the principal organization responsible for project development, financing, construction and operation. The enterprise was later reorganized and renamed China Three Gorges Corporation. The corporation's initial mission was concentrated on the Three Gorges Dam and hydropower station in Hubei. Construction involved large civil works, ship locks, power-generation equipment and the progressive relocation of communities from areas that would be inundated by the reservoir. The project was justified by its expected contributions to flood control, electricity supply and navigation on the upper and middle Yangtze. At the same time, government reviews, academic studies and public debate highlighted the scale of resettlement and potential effects on ecosystems, sediment movement, cultural heritage and downstream river conditions. The reservoir began filling in stages during the 2000s. The first generating units entered service during that decade, and the final planned units of the main hydropower station were completed in 2012. The completed facility made CTG one of the world's most prominent hydropower operators. The group also remained involved in the operation of the nearby Gezhouba project and gradually expanded its role across the Yangtze basin. During the 2000s and 2010s, CTG developed a larger corporate structure through China Yangtze Power and other subsidiaries. China Yangtze Power became the principal listed operating company for important Yangtze hydropower assets, including the Three Gorges, Gezhouba, Xiluodu and Xiangjiaba stations. This arrangement separated some listed asset ownership and operating functions from the unlisted state-owned parent while allowing CTG to retain strategic control over a large generation portfolio. The group then broadened its business from conventional large hydropower to wind, solar, pumped storage, ecological management and related engineering services. This diversification reflected both China's growing electricity demand and national policies favoring low-carbon generation. CTG's renewable-energy activities include project development, asset investment and operation, with wind and solar becoming increasingly important alongside its hydropower base. International investment became a defining part of CTG's later development. In 2011, the group acquired a controlling stake in Energias de Portugal, or EDP, after Portugal's privatization process. The investment gave CTG exposure to electricity generation, distribution and renewable energy in multiple markets. CTG and associated entities have subsequently participated in energy projects and partnerships in Brazil, Pakistan, Turkey, Africa, Southeast Asia and other regions. These activities made the group an important example of Chinese state-backed infrastructure investment abroad. In the 2020s, CTG continued to present itself as a clean-energy enterprise supporting China's energy transition. Its strategic priorities have included large renewable bases, flexible generation, pumped storage, digitalized operations and improved ecological management around major water projects. The group remains closely connected to national energy and infrastructure policy. Its record is also assessed through debates about the social and environmental consequences of large dams, reservoir management during extreme weather, overseas investment governance and the role of state-owned enterprises in domestic and international power markets.

1. 2013Corporate identity consolidated under China Three Gorges Corporation

   The project corporation's broader group identity and business scope were consolidated under the China Three Gorges Corporation name.

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2. 2012Three Gorges generating program completed

   The final generating unit at the main Three Gorges station entered operation, completing the project's planned generating capacity.

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3. 2011International expansion through EDP investment

   CTG acquired a controlling stake in Portugal-based EDP, establishing a major international electricity and renewable-energy platform.

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4. 2003First Three Gorges generating units begin operation

   The Three Gorges hydropower station began commercial electricity generation as its initial generating units entered service.

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5. 1993Project corporation established

   China Three Gorges Project Corporation was established to organize development and construction of the Three Gorges Project.

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A central Chinese state-owned clean-energy and infrastructure group centered on hydropower, large-scale renewable generation and international electricity investment.

• Three Gorges Hydropower StationHydropower2003

  CTG's signature project on the Yangtze River in Hubei Province. The dam and power station combine electricity generation with major flood-control and navigation infrastructure. Its large reservoir and generating fleet made it a central component of China's inland power system and the defining asset of the CTG brand.

• Yangtze River hydropower portfolioHydropower

  The group and its listed subsidiary China Yangtze Power operate a series of major stations in the Yangtze basin, including Gezhouba, Xiluodu and Xiangjiaba. Together these assets extend CTG's expertise from the Three Gorges site to a broader river-basin generation and water-management system.

• Wind and solar generationRenewable energy

  CTG develops and operates utility-scale wind and photovoltaic projects in China and overseas. These businesses diversify the group beyond large dams and support its positioning as a clean-energy company aligned with China's expansion of non-fossil electricity.

• EDP international platformInternational electricity investment2011

  CTG's controlling investment in EDP provided exposure to electricity generation, distribution and renewable-energy operations across several countries. The investment became a principal channel for the group's international expansion and helped connect its Chinese hydropower expertise with overseas power markets.

• Pumped-storage powerEnergy storage and grid flexibility

  Pumped-storage projects form part of CTG's effort to provide flexible capacity for grids with growing wind and solar penetration. These facilities store electricity by moving water between reservoirs and can support peak demand, frequency management and renewable integration.

• 2012Complete the main Three Gorges generating fleetGeneration change

  The Three Gorges station was brought into service progressively over several years while dam, navigation and power-generation works were completed.

  What changed. The final planned generating unit entered operation, completing the main station's generating program.

  Aftermath. CTG became one of the world's most important hydropower operators and used the project as the foundation for further domestic and international growth.

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• 2011Acquire control of EDPM&A

  Portugal's privatization program created an opportunity for a large strategic investor to acquire a controlling position in EDP, an international electricity company with substantial renewable assets.

  What changed. CTG acquired a controlling stake in EDP and used the investment to establish a wider international electricity and renewable-energy presence.

  Aftermath. EDP became a central overseas investment associated with CTG, although the relationship and ownership structure have evolved through later corporate transactions and market developments.

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• 1993Create a dedicated Three Gorges project corporationStrategy

  China needed a dedicated institutional vehicle for a nationally significant dam, navigation and power-generation project involving multiyear construction and extensive resettlement.

  What changed. The government established the project corporation that became China Three Gorges Corporation and assigned it responsibility for development, construction and operation.

  Aftermath. The organization became the core state-owned platform for the Three Gorges Project and later developed into a diversified energy group.

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• 2006Three Gorges resettlement and environmental controversyControversy

  The Three Gorges Project attracted sustained criticism concerning the scale and administration of population resettlement, the loss of cultural and archaeological sites, ecological disruption, sediment and downstream impacts. These issues concern the project and its governance rather than a single confirmed corporate misconduct event.

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• 2020Three Gorges Dam draws renewed attention during severe Yangtze flooding

  Heavy rainfall and high river levels brought renewed public and media scrutiny to the dam's flood-control role, reservoir operations and downstream impacts.

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• 2012Three Gorges Project reaches full generating capacity

  The final generating unit of the Three Gorges hydropower station entered commercial operation, completing the project's planned generating-unit program.

  Product generation
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• 2012Three Gorges generating complex reaches full planned capacity

  The final generating units of the main Three Gorges hydropower station were completed, bringing the station’s installed capacity to 22.5 gigawatts.

  Product generation
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• 2011China Three Gorges Corporation takes a major stake in EDP

  CTG acquired a controlling interest in Portugal's EDP, marking a major step in the group's international electricity and renewable-energy expansion.

  M&A
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• 2011China Three Gorges Corporation acquires a controlling stake in EDP

  CTG became the controlling shareholder of Portugal-based EDP, expanding its international electricity and renewable-energy portfolio.

  M&A
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• 2010CTG expands overseas renewable-energy activities

  Following its international investment in EDP, the group continued developing and acquiring renewable-energy and utility assets in overseas markets.

  M&A
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• 2003First generating units at the Three Gorges Dam enter service

  The first power-generating units of the Three Gorges hydropower complex began commercial operation, marking the transition from construction toward large-scale generation.

  Product launchProduct generation
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• 1994Construction of the Three Gorges Project begins

  The Three Gorges Project entered its principal construction phase after the establishment of the corporation to develop and manage the project.

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1. China Three Gorges Corporation official website
2. EDP investor relations
3. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Three Gorges Dam
4. China Yangtze Power official website
5. Three Gorges generating complex reaches full planned capacity
6. China Three Gorges Corporation acquires a controlling stake in EDP