Shuangjiangkou Dam construction uses solar mirrors to combat extreme cold

China is constructing the Shuangjiangkou Dam in the Sichuan province, which is set to become the world's highest dam upon completion. Located at an altitude of over 2,000 meters above sea level, the project faces extreme cold, with winter temperatures dropping to approximately 20 degrees Celsius below zero.

To combat freezing conditions that halt construction, engineers are using 27 large, intelligent mirrors mounted on the surrounding mountains. These mirrors track the sun and reflect solar radiation onto the construction site to heat the clay core. This technique increases the temperature by about three degrees, allowing workers to gain several additional hours of productivity during the limited winter window.

Once finished, the dam will stand 315 meters high and approximately 640 meters long, surpassing the current record holder, the Jinping-I dam. The structure is designed to hold a reservoir of 2.9 billion cubic meters of water. While the dam is still under construction, the associated hydroelectric plant has already begun generating electricity.