In June 1959, an on-site survey was conducted at Qiaojia by a domestic expert group and a Czechoslovak expert group and, consequently, the future site for the Baihetan Power Station was selected. However, the breaking down of relations during the Sino-Soviet split in 1962, resulted in the survey team being withdrawn. The beginning of China's "Cultural Revolution" also saw the construction plans becoming shelved for many years. In 2008, the original plan for the construction of Baihetan Hydropower Station, was formally started. In December 2008, the Baihetan site began construction. The Jinsha River became officially closed in November 2014. The manufacturing of the first water guiding mechanism in the Baihetan Hydro-generator units was completed in
Harbin, where it both passed inspection and was awarded approval on October 27, 2018. The first 1,000 MW turbine runner was completed at Dongfang Electric's Baihetan Runner Processing Plant on January 12, 2019. An opening ceremony took place on February 5, 2021, and storage of water behind the dam commenced on April 7 of the same year, and by April 24, the water storage elevation of the hydro plant had risen over 720 meters. The third turbine followed in July and the fourth in November of the same year. On 20 December 2022, the formal completion of Baihetan Hydropower Station was achieved when the final hydro-generating unit was connected to the grid and began producing power. Experts have noted the 4-year construction period as being exceptionally fast for a project of its type. == Power generation ==