China has taken another step forward in its clean energy transition with the successful launch of a second power-generating unit at the Batang Hydropower Station in Sichuan Province.

The latest unit began full operation following a smooth 72-hour trial run, boosting the station’s total output capacity. Once all three units are up and running — with the third expected to come online by mid-July — the station will boast a combined generation capacity of 750,000 kilowatts.

The hydropower project is built along the Jinsha River, a major tributary of the Yangtze. When fully operational, the station is projected to supply more than 3 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. That’s enough to meet the power needs of approximately 1.75 million households each year.

In addition to reducing reliance on coal, the energy generated is expected to prevent the burning of over a million tonnes of standard coal annually, slashing an estimated 3.15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

The project marks another milestone in China’s push to expand its renewable energy footprint and reduce its carbon emissions — goals that have become central to the country’s long-term sustainability strategy.