Three gorges dam

Question 1

Short term - meeting demand

Answer 1

Hydropower is responsive to demand as water can be stored and released. Generators can be stopped and started almost instantly

Question 2

Medium term meeting demand

Answer 2

+ve
- can hold 39km3 of water
- discharging water during the dry season to generate stable electricity all year round

-ve
- in 2023 a heat wave hit China, with coal having to be used to meet demand

Question 3

Long term meeting demand

Answer 3

cannot cope with peaks in demand. 2022 severe power shortage in Sichuan.

Question 4

overcoming issues of drought

Answer 4

+ve
attempts to cloud seed but has had little impact

-ve
July/August 2022 worst drought hit basin with rainfall down 45% and dam generation plunged by half

Question 5

overcoming sedimentation

Answer 5

+ve
sluice gates at base of dam to flush sediment
series of dams built up river to cut down sedimentation

-ve
by 2050, 3 gorges dam is expected to lose 10% of storage capacity

Question 6

overcoming energy security

Answer 6

+ provides renewable energy source that meets 2% of country energy demands

• flooding 2020 damaged dam

Question 7

overcoming distribution

Answer 7

+ 3 direct current lines to East China grid

• higher paying customers, such as Shanghai have priority

Question 8

issues with dam

Answer 8

displacement - 1.4 million resettled and often could not continue with previous livelihood such as farming

13 cities, 140 towns flooded

cannot cope with peak demand with industrial activities often having to stop