Q 01/05

The Three Gorges Dam spans which river?

A) The Yangtze

B) The Pearl River

C) The Yellow River

D) The Mekong

Answer · why

A) The Yangtze

It sits near Sandouping in Yichang, just downstream of the gorges that give it its name.

Q 02/05

In which Chinese province is the Three Gorges Dam?

A) Sichuan

B) Hunan

C) Hubei

D) Yunnan

Answer · why

C) Hubei

The reservoir behind it stretches hundreds of kilometres back towards Chongqing.

Q 03/05

What is the Three Gorges Dam's installed generating capacity, the largest of any power station on Earth?

A) 30,000 MW

B) 12,500 MW

C) 22,500 MW

D) 18,000 MW

Answer · why

C) 22,500 MW

The next-biggest hydro plant, also in China, manages 16,000 MW.

Q 04/05

How many main turbines does the Three Gorges power plant have?

A) 32

B) 40

C) 48

D) 64

Answer · why

A) 32

Two smaller 50 MW units power the plant itself.

Q 05/05

What is the output of each of the dam's main generators?

A) 1,000 MW

B) 500 MW

C) 350 MW

D) 700 MW

Answer · why

D) 700 MW

Each unit weighs about 6,000 tonnes and spins at 75 revolutions per minute.