Banduo is a 360 MW hydro power station in Qinghai Sheng, China. It is operated by State Power Investment Group Upper Yellow River Hydropower Development Co Ltd [1. Based on its capacity (estimated), it can supply roughly 360k homes (estimated). It ranks #1800 of 6,685 China power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 2010, it is around 16 years old — relatively modern. As a non-combustion source, it has no direct CO₂ emissions from generation. In context, hydro supplies about 13.2% of China's electricity; the national grid averages 525 gCO₂/kWh (41.7% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1000604.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Not available
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Source of the capacity and fuel values:
capacity: GEM · 2026 · L100000600608; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 360 MW, Banduo is well above the median hydro plant in China (24 MW). Technically it is described as conventional storage. Hydropower converts the energy of falling or flowing water into electricity; output depends on rainfall and reservoir level, and large dams also provide grid balancing and storage.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
Key facts
- Share of China hydro capacity
- 0.1% of 262,337 MW across 947 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 215 of 381 dated hydro plants in China are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Capacity vs largest hydro plants in China
Installed capacity (MW), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by State Power Investment Group Upper Yellow River Hydropower Development Co Ltd [1.
Local climate & thermal context
This hydro plant converts the energy of falling or flowing water through hydro turbines. It sits in a monsoon subarctic climate (Köppen Dwc) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 35.3°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
Heating degree-days here run 138% above the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.
Climate heat-demand index: 98/100 — this site sits in the top third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.
Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.
Site climate & environmental severity
This site sits in a benign, low-corrosion environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C1 — Very low), with thermal cycling the leading environmental stress.
Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.
How it compares & nearby plants
The #126 largest hydro power plant of 947 in China by capacity.
China has 947 hydro power plants in this dataset, together about 262,337 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Qinghai Province Xinghai County Moduo · Hydro · 48 MW · Qinghai Sheng
- Yangqu · Hydro · 1,200 MW · Qinghai Sheng
- Qinghai Maqin Gequ Level 2 · Hydro · 48 MW · Qinghai Sheng
- Longyangxia Solar-Hydro II · Solar · 530 MW · Qinghai Sheng
- Qinghai Wanli Guoluo power station · Coal · 405 MW · Qinghai
- Gonghe CPI · Solar · 200 MW · Qinghai Sheng
Location
Coordinates 35.31, 100.27 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Banduo?
Banduo is a 360 MW hydro power plant in Qinghai Sheng, China, commissioned in 2010.
Who operates Banduo?
Banduo is operated by State Power Investment Group Upper Yellow River Hydropower Development Co Ltd [1.