Ertan Dam, Hydroelectric power station on Yalong River, Sichuan Province, China.

The Ertan Dam is an arch dam on the Yalong River that spans a considerable distance and holds back a massive water reservoir. The facility uses this water to generate electricity through underground generators that feed power to the region.

Preparatory work began in late 1987; the main works started on 14 September 1991 after international tenders were opened in Beijing that August, with the arch dam won by a consortium including Impregilo and the powerhouse by Holzmann and Hochtief. The last of six 550 MW units entered commercial service on 4 December 1999. It was China's first project fully tendered internationally under FIDIC contracts, backed by a $970 million World Bank loan, and the largest station commissioned in China in the 20th century.

The construction brought together specialists from around the world, representing a turning point for China in international collaboration on major infrastructure projects. This partnership demonstrated how local engineers worked with foreign experts to create a modern energy facility.

The location is best reached by planning travel time for the mountainous terrain of Sichuan and seeking local information about access. Since it is an active facility, visitors should check which areas are accessible to the public.

The underground powerhouse holds six 550 MW Francis turbines, giving the station a capacity of 3,300 MW. Its transformer room sits in a separate cavern, and a surge chamber carved into the rock supports the system. The dam's four discharge routes include seven crest floodgates and two flood tunnels.