Yanguoxia is a 471 MW hydro power station in Gansu 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 472k homes (estimated). It ranks #1700 of 6,685 China power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1970, it is around 56 years old — an older, legacy facility. 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 WRI1000511.
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 · L100000601330; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 471 MW, Yanguoxia 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
- 0.2% of 262,337 MW across 947 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 13 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 cold semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSk) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 36.1°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 61% 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: 84/100 — 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 dust abrasion 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 #109 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
- Gansu Yongjing Fuchuan · Hydro · 24 MW · Gansu Sheng
- Lanzhou Lanlü power station · Coal · 900 MW · Gansu Sheng
- Bapanxia · Hydro · 220 MW · Gansu Sheng
- Huangshui Huanghui · Hydro · 12 MW · Gansu Sheng
- Renewable Energy For Grid · Hydro · 5 MW · Gansu Sheng
- Liujiaxia · Hydro · 1,225 MW · Gansu Sheng
Location
Coordinates 36.0735, 103.2836 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Yanguoxia?
Yanguoxia is a 471 MW hydro power plant in Gansu Sheng, China, commissioned in 1970.
Who operates Yanguoxia?
Yanguoxia is operated by State Power Investment Group Upper Yellow River Hydropower Development Co Ltd [1.