Shilongba Hydropower Station in Kunming
The Shilongba Hydropower Station is located in Haikou Street (海口街道), Xishan District (西山区), Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China. Situated next to Qingyutang Village (青鱼塘村) by the Tángláng River (螳螂川), it is 14 km from Haikou and 30 km from Kunming, covering an area of approximately 230 acres. The hydropower station is under the ownership of China Huadian Corporation (中国华电集团有限公司).
The construction of the first plant began in July 1910 during the Qing Dynasty and started generating electricity on May 28, 1912. Subsequent expansions saw the addition of a second workshop in 1935, a third workshop in 1943, and a fourth one in 1958. The station has become a key industrial and historical site in China, recognized by various national and provincial bodies for its heritage value.
Historical Development
Official Construction
In 1895, following the First Sino-Japanese War, France forced the Qing government to sign a series of unequal treaties. After the construction of the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway, France pressured the Qing government to allow the railway extension into China under the Treaty of Additional Articles on Boundary and Commercial Affairs (《中法续议界务商务专条》). In 1897, a French team entered Yunnan to conduct railway surveys, and they chose Shilongba as the site for a power station to supply electricity to the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway.
However, this plan was met with strong opposition from the local community, who advocated for “national salvation through industry” (实业救国). In 1909, Yunnan’s governor-general, Li Jingxi (李经羲), authorized the development of Tángláng River’s hydropower resources. This led to the formation of the privately-operated Yáolóng Electric Lighting Co. Ltd. (耀龙电灯股份公司), spearheaded by businessman Wang Hongtu (王鸿图). The station officially started construction on August 21, 1910.
Key Milestones
- 1910-1912: The first phase of the power plant was constructed, including a dam, intake structures, and a 1478-meter-long water channel. The plant initially installed two 240 kW water turbine generator units, producing electricity to power Kunming via a 32-kilometer transmission line.
- 1930-1945: Expansion works continued, including the construction of additional workshops and increasing the plant’s capacity. By the mid-1930s, the plant had an installed capacity of 1272 kW.
- 1958: The fourth workshop was completed, adding further capacity and upgrading the plant to keep up with modern demands.
Architectural Layout
Shilongba Hydropower Station uses the natural flow of Tángláng River and the elevation drop to generate power. The facility includes several important structures, such as:
- Middle Sand Pump Station (中滩抽水泵站): A crucial part of China’s first pumped-storage power station.
- Gǔnlóng Dam (滚龙坝): This dam helps to regulate water flow and store up to 255,000 cubic meters of water.
- Powerhouse: The main buildings include four plants (one built post-1949) and a substation.
The engineering marvels of Shilongba, from its intake structures to the advanced design of its water channels and sand filters, ensured efficient water utilization and high-quality electricity generation.
Key Attractions
First Workshop
The first workshop of the Shilongba Hydropower Station was completed in 1912. Initially equipped with 480 kW capacity, the station was later upgraded in 1930 to handle 1272 kW. In 1988, one of the original 240 kW units was restored, adding two additional 200 kW generators.
Second Workshop
Built in 1935, the second workshop added another 448 kW unit to the plant’s capacity.
Third Workshop
The third workshop was built in 1943 and went operational on August 1, 1945. It housed upgraded equipment to meet growing power demands.
Fourth Workshop
The fourth workshop was completed in 1954, and expanded further in 1957 to include additional generators. This phase helped modernize the plant’s operations, further cementing its place in China’s industrial history.
Shilongba Hydropower Museum
The Yunnan Shilongba Hydropower Museum (云南石龙坝水电博物馆) is housed in a traditional courtyard building. The museum displays important relics from the power station’s history, including an antique German-made safe, high-voltage switches, and control panels from the early 1900s. Stone steles documenting the achievements of key engineers and the station’s construction are also featured.
Historical Events
Shilongba has witnessed significant historical moments:
- 1927: The station was the site of the founding of the Shilongba Branch of the Communist Party of China (中共云南地下党石龙坝支部委员会), one of the earliest grassroots Party branches in Yunnan Province.
- 1940: On December 16, 1940, the plant was attacked by Japanese aircraft, causing damage to the first workshop and other parts of the plant. A pond built afterward was named “Feilai Pond” (飞来池) in memory of the attack.
Leadership Inscriptions
Shilongba Hydropower Station has received praise from various national leaders over the years:
- Li Rui (李锐), former Deputy Minister of Water Resources and Electric Power, inscribed the following during a 1957 inspection:
“The power plant resembles a temple, with couplets praising the moonlight. Kunming Shilongba, may you last as long as the 1911 Revolution.”
(“电厂似庵堂，楹联赞月光。昆明石龙坝，寿共辛亥长。”) - Li Peng (李鹏), Premier of the People’s Republic of China, offered the following words during the plant’s 80th-anniversary celebration in 1990:
“Promote the spirit of self-reliance, accelerate the construction of hydropower in Yunnan.”
(“发扬自力更生精神，加快云南水电建设。”)
Other notable inscriptions were made by prominent figures such as Song Renqiong (宋任穷), Qian Zhengying (钱正英), and many others, emphasizing the plant’s role as a pioneer of China’s hydropower industry.
Value and Significance
Shilongba Hydropower Station is recognized as China’s first hydropower plant and the first pumped-storage power station. It holds a special place in Chinese industrial heritage due to its innovative design, historical importance, and contributions to the development of Yunnan’s infrastructure and energy sectors.
It has been designated a National Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit (全国重点文物保护单位) and has been included in both the Industrial Heritage Protection List (中国工业遗产保护名录) and the National Industrial Heritage List (国家工业遗产名单), highlighting its continued legacy in Chinese history.
Location:
