Yele Dam

Dam in Mianning County and Shimian County, Sichuan Province

28°55′11″N 102°13′11″E / 28.91972°N 102.21972°E / 28.91972; 102.21972StatusOperationalConstruction began2000Opening date2006Construction cost$385 million USD 2.537 billion RMBDam and spillwaysType of damEmbankment, rock-fillImpoundsNanya RiverHeight124.5 metres (408 ft)Length411 metres (1,348 ft)Width (crest)14 metres (46 ft)Dam volume6,200,000 cubic metres (218,950,934 cu ft)ReservoirCreatesYele ReservoirTotal capacity298,000,000 cubic metres (241,593 acre⋅ft)Catchment area323 square kilometres (125 sq mi)Power StationCommission date2005-2006Hydraulic head644.8 metres (2,115 ft) Max.Turbines2 x 120 MW Pelton turbinesInstalled capacity240 MWAnnual generation647 kWh

The Yele Dam is an embankment dam on the Nanya River along the border of Mianning County and Shimian County, Sichuan Province, China. It is 124.5 metres (408 ft) high and 411 metres (1,348 ft) long. Because the dam lies within a Level VIII earthquake intensity zone, its core is composed of asphalt concrete. Construction on the dam began in 2000, the reservoir began impounding on January 1, 2005 and the entire project was complete in August 2006. The purpose of the dam is to produce hydroelectricity and it supports a 240 MW power station. Water from the dam's reservoir is diverted into a 7.2 kilometres (4 mi) long headrace tunnel before reaching the power station.^[1]