Editing Three Gorges Dam (section)

=== Distribution ===
The [[State Grid Corporation]] and [[China Southern Power Grid]] paid a flat rate of ¥250&nbsp;per MWh (US$35.7) until July 2, 2008. Since then, the price has varied by province, from ¥228.7 to ¥401.8&nbsp;per MWh. Higher-paying customers, such as [[Shanghai]], receive priority.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ctgpc.com.cn/sx/news.php?mNewsId=29096 | language=zh | script-title=zh:中国长江三峡工程开发总公司 | publisher=Ctgpc.com.cn | date=July 4, 2008 | access-date=August 1, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210072449/http://www.ctgpc.com.cn/sx/news.php?mNewsId=29096 | archive-date=February 10, 2009 | df=mdy-all | url-status=dead}}</ref> Nine provinces and two cities consume power from the dam.<ref name="chinagate">{{cite news | archive-date=October 10, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101010083924/http://en.chinagate.cn/reports/2007-12/05/content_9348644.htm | url=http://en.chinagate.cn/reports/2007-12/05/content_9348644.htm | title=Construction of the Three Gorges Project and Ecological Protection | publisher=Chinagate.com.cn | date=November 27, 2007 | access-date=March 24, 2014 | url-status=live}}</ref>

Power distribution and transmission infrastructure cost about 34.387&nbsp;billion yuan. Construction was completed in December 2007, one year ahead of schedule.<ref>{{cite news | archive-date=December 21, 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071221212404/http://www.sdpc.gov.cn/xwfb/t20071220_180047.htm | url=http://www.sdpc.gov.cn/xwfb/t20071220_180047.htm | title=Three Gorges Dam | publisher=National Development and Reform Commission | date=December 20, 2007 | access-date=December 20, 2007 | language=zh | url-status=live}}</ref>

Power is distributed over multiple 500 kV transmission lines. Three [[direct current]] (DC) lines to the East China Grid carry 7,200 MW: Three Gorges – Shanghai (3,000 MW), [[HVDC Three Gorges – Changzhou]] (3,000 MW), and [[HVDC Gezhouba – Shanghai]] (1,200 MW). The [[alternating current]] (AC) lines to the Central China Grid have a total capacity of 12,000 MW. The DC transmission line [[HVDC Three Gorges – Guangdong]] to the South China Grid has a capacity of 3,000 MW.<ref name="abb">{{cite web | url=http://www.abb.com/cawp/gad02181/f5933693d1a92404c1256d8800401782.aspx | title=Three Gorges, China | publisher=ABB Group | access-date=November 23, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013121502/http://www.abb.com/cawp/gad02181/f5933693d1a92404c1256d8800401782.aspx | archive-date=October 13, 2007}}</ref>

The dam was expected to provide 10% of China's power. However, electricity demand has increased more quickly than previously projected. Even fully operational and despite its size, on average, it supported only about 1.7% of electricity demand in China in the year of 2011, when the Chinese electricity demand reached 4,692.8 TWh.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.csee.net.cn/data/2006/0525/article_864.htm | title=Three Gorges Dam | publisher=[[Chinese Society for Electrical Engineering]] | date=May 25, 2006 | access-date=May 16, 2007 | language=zh | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070429120935/http://www.csee.net.cn/data/2006/0525/article_864.htm | archive-date=April 29, 2007 | df=mdy-all | url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | access-date=June 23, 2012 | archive-date=January 17, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120117003202/http://www.gov.cn/gzdt/2012-01/14/content_2044324.htm | url=http://www.gov.cn/gzdt/2012-01/14/content_2044324.htm | language=zh | script-title=zh:能源局:2011年全社会用电量累计达46928亿千瓦时 | url-status=live}}</ref>