Wang Zhilin honored by International Hydropower Association

Wang Zhilin was awarded the 2023 Mosonyi Award for Excellence in Hydropower by the International Hydropower Association on Nov 1, 2023.

Born in January 1963, Wang retired as a board member of China Three Gorges Construction Engineering Corporation and director of Baihetan Engineering and Construction Department in January 2023. He devoted over 30 years to the construction of mega hydropower projects in China and was involved in the Three Gorges Project, Xiluodu Hydropower Station, and Baihetan Hydropower Station. He made remarkable achievements in engineering management, hydropower technologies, and intelligent engineering management. His contributions advanced China's hydropower industry as well as the world's hydropower sector.

In recent years, when serving as the on-site "commander-in-chief" at Baihetan Hydropower Station, Wang led the team to scale new heights in scientific and technological innovation, overcame many difficulties and challenges in hydropower project construction, and successfully built a world-class, high-quality project.

For example, his team overcame the fundamental technical issues of basaltic rock mass engineering under complicated geological conditions, and successfully employed basaltic rock mass with columnar joints as the basis for a 300-meter extra-high arch dam — the first time such an approach had been implemented. By adopting giant rock stability management technologies, his team overcame the challenges of building the world's biggest underground powerhouse caverns in a complicated geological region with significant ground stress. With his groundbreaking use of low-heat concrete, his team fundamentally enhanced anti-crack performance throughout the dam and spearheaded the revolution of dam construction materials. In doing so, the team developed the temperature-control and anti-crack theory for large-volume concrete and shattered the industry myth that "all concrete dams have cracks". His team also pioneered the "mirror surface" technique on the overflow surface of flood discharge tunnels, setting new standards for the industry. He also comprehensively developed and applied intelligent construction technologies and management processes for large-scale hydropower projects by integrating modern information technology with engineering construction management.