In 2025, a crucial water transportation bottleneck in the southwestern hinterland of China will see a breakthrough. As a controlling project of the water transport strategy of Guizhou Province, which is to enter the Yangtze River in the north and the Pearl River in the south, the construction of the 1000 ton navigation building project of Longtan Hydropower Station has officially started a few days ago. This grand project, with an investment of 4.83 billion yuan and a construction period of 69 months, not only aims to unblock the intestinal obstruction in the middle reaches of the Hongshui River, but also carries the profound strategic mission of transforming Guizhou from an inland hinterland to a frontier of opening up the Yangtze River and the sea.

Tackling the 'throat'

The navigation difficulties of Longtan Hydropower Station have long been a bottleneck restricting the development of water transportation in the Hongshui River and even the entire southwestern region. The project that started this time adopts an advanced technology solution of two-stage vertical lifting ship lift and intermediate channel. The total length of the project is 1980 meters, with a total lifting height of 156 meters, and its scale and technical difficulty are among the world's top.

This design is equivalent to building a safe and efficient water elevator for passing ships in the huge water level drop. The project is constructed according to the standards of a Class III waterway and a 1000 ton ship, with a designed annual one-way throughput capacity of approximately 3.755 million tons. It is expected to have trial navigation conditions by September 2031. Its completion will completely activate the high-level waterway network of the North South Panjiang Hongshui River, which is 362.69 kilometers upstream.

Strategic leap from inland to frontier

The significance of the Longtan Navigation Project goes far beyond the construction of a single infrastructure. For Guizhou, it means a historic leap in water transportation from smooth to smooth. After the completion of the project, Guizhou's abundant bulk resources such as coal and phosphate ore will be able to be transported on a large scale through low-cost water transportation. According to calculations, the cost of water transportation can be reduced to about one-fifth of that of highways, and it is expected to save more than 500 million yuan in shipping costs for society every year, greatly enhancing the market competitiveness of Guizhou goods and promoting the transformation and upgrading of the industrial corridor along the Yangtze River.

On a larger regional map, the project will construct a golden waterway connecting the southwest and southern China. Ships can directly reach the Pearl River Delta and also open up the shortest sea route to the Beibu Gulf Port through the Pinglu Canal, a national strategic project, forming a unique new pattern of one river, two directions, and river sea linkage in China. This directly enhances the strategic autonomy of transportation in the southwest region, accelerating the industrial gradient transfer and regional economic integration process among Guizhou, Guangxi, and Guangdong.

multidimensional value

From a national perspective, the Longtan Project is a landmark project in implementing the strategy of building a strong transportation nation and the Western Land Sea New Corridor. It will significantly enhance the efficiency of the eastern waterway channel of the Western Land Sea New Corridor, providing key support for optimizing the national comprehensive three-dimensional transportation network.

At the same time, the ecological and social benefits of the project are equally outstanding. Vigorously promoting the intermodal transportation of water and iron, and significantly reducing carbon emissions in the transportation sector every year, is a green model for achieving the dual carbon goals. In addition, the project passes through multi-ethnic settlements, and its construction and operation will directly improve local infrastructure, drive employment and industrial development, and have profound significance for consolidating and expanding the achievements of poverty alleviation, promoting ethnic unity and long-term stability in border areas. Keywords: Energy Storage Latest News, Energy Storage New Energy News

The commencement of this project marks the beginning of a new stage of connecting Guizhou and even the entire southwestern region to the Yangtze River and the sea. A more efficient, green, and strategically influential water artery is transforming from a blueprint into a reality, and will undoubtedly inject tremendous water power into the high-quality development of regional economy and society.Editor/Cheng Liting