Brief Introduction
Bakun Hydroelectric Power Project (hereinafter referred to as the Project) is located on the Balui River, a tributary of the Rajang River in central Sarawak, Malaysia, 180 km away from Bintulu the port city. The Project is with a total installed capacity of 8×300 MW, firm output of 1,771 MW, annual energy output of 15.52 billion kW·h, maximum normal operating water level of 228 m, maximum probable flood level of 232.80 m, maximum flood discharge for spillway of 14,580 m3/s and total reservoir capacity of 44 billion m3.
At dam site, the average annual flow is 1,314 m3/s, the average carryover temperature is 25 ℃ and the average annual precipitation is 4,500 mm. The main structures of the Project include a 205 m high concrete-faced rockfill dam (the second highest one in Asia), riverside spillway, and power generation system consisting of power intake, 8 pressure headrace tunnels and powerhouse. Three concrete-lined diversion tunnels were completed in 1998, and the No.1 diversion tunnel was converted into an outlet for downstream water supply during impoundment. The main civil works of the Project were undertaken by SINOHYDRO.
At dam site, the average annual flow is 1,314 m3/s, the average carryover temperature is 25 ℃ and the average annual precipitation is 4,500 mm. The main structures of the Project include a 205 m high concrete-faced rockfill dam (the second highest one in Asia), riverside spillway, and power generation system consisting of power intake, 8 pressure headrace tunnels and powerhouse. Three concrete-lined diversion tunnels were completed in 1998, and the No.1 diversion tunnel was converted into an outlet for downstream water supply during impoundment. The main civil works of the Project were undertaken by SINOHYDRO.
Social Evaluation
With emphasis on environmental protection, the Project takes environmental protection into account from design scheme to construction methods. For example, the retaining dam is a concrete-faced rockfill dam built by slopes and nearby rock blocks, reducing the use of high energy-consuming construction materials such as cement and steel bars; stoplog is arranged at the intake to ensure that the water flow for power generation is taken from 10m of the reservoir surface, and the water temperature and oxygen content can meet the living needs of downstream organisms; the outlet converted from the diversion tunnel maintains water supply to downstream during construction and impoundment so as to keep the ecological sustainability; protection of green vegetation is adopted on the top of slope to keep the harmony and unity of hydraulic structures and tropical rainforest. During construction, debris was landfilled in a proposed area, and the construction and household wastes were disposed regularly and timely according to the environmental protection requirements. Vegetation restoration was conducted after quarry and spoil areas were excavated completely. Members of the construction team fully understand the cultural, regional and belief difference, with compliance with local laws, regulations and cultural customs as the basis and respect for religious belief of the country as the principle. In particular, local qualified environmental protection and safety officers were appointed for environmental protection and safety to get along with the locals in harmony. In the course of construction of the Project, great respect to the indigenous Iban were delivered and they were visited at local traditional festivals and Christmas; fish in rivers was protected and fishing was prohibited unauthorized; during construction, jobs were created for local residents, many of them have become skilled technical workers, jointly built the Project into a “lighthouse” in the tropical rainforest. The whole construction process was fully supported and praised by the local people.
From Chinese labor services to Made in China, from Chinese construction to Chinese design, Chinese brands provide icing on the cake for Malacca, and a splendid pearl inlaid in Kalimantan will write a new chapter.
From Chinese labor services to Made in China, from Chinese construction to Chinese design, Chinese brands provide icing on the cake for Malacca, and a splendid pearl inlaid in Kalimantan will write a new chapter.
Economic, Social and Environmental Contributions
The completion of the Project will significantly improve the present power structure of East Malaysia. The annual energy output of 15.52 billion kilowatt hours replaces 3.26 million tons of diesel fuel, reducing 10 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions, providing clean energy for the local. The reservoir with a capacity of 44 billion cubic meters has effectively controlled the flood disaster in the lower reach of Balui River. The maximum probable inflow peak discharge at the dam site is 32,367 m3/s, and the maximum discharge volume is reduced to 14,580 m3/s after reservoir regulation, thus significantly improving the flood control standard in the downstream river channel. It changes the ecological quality of the Balui River and thus saves more than 34,000 plant and animal species. New lakes and green islands make Bakun area a new tourist attraction, bringing more tourism revenue for the local; it also creates modern lifestyles and numerous job opportunities to the indigenous people and leads to significant development in the Sarawak region in terms of industry, infrastructure, human resources, research and development capacity and overall economy.