CASE STUDY 7 China Huaneng Group – hydropower for flood control and water security29 Hydropower infrastructure, when managed with advanced data and digital technologies, serves as a multifunctional resilience tool – producing clean energy, storing water resources and regulating flood and drought risks. In 2024, China’s major river basins experienced 26 significant flood events, the highest since 1998. The Ministry of Water Resources initiated 43 emergency responses and issued over 4,300 flood warnings. During this period, hydropower reservoirs collectively retained 147.1 billion cubic metres of floodwater, playing a critical role in disaster mitigation and safeguarding lives and property. The Lancang River basin, managed by China Huaneng Group, exemplifies the climate adaptation value of coordinated hydropower systems. Twelve cascade hydropower stations, equipped with digital monitoring and basin-wide centralized dispatch,30 have optimized power generation and joint reservoir operations across wet and dry seasons. During the 2024 flood season, this system reduced the natural flood peak by approximately 70%, significantly lowering downstream flood risks.The benefits of this approach extend beyond national borders. During severe droughts in the Mekong River basin in 2016 and 2019, upstream Huaneng hydropower stations provided emergency water releases, alleviating shortages for downstream countries. In 2016 alone, emergency releases totalled 12.65 billion cubic metres – an 85% increase over natural inflows at Jinghong Station – earning recognition from riparian nations and strengthening cross-border cooperation and trust. China Huaneng’s Lancang River Hydropower Base has put two multi-year regulated reservoirs31 into operation, which will play a critical role in maintaining water and power supply capabilities amid prolonged droughts and changes in spatial- temporal patterns of precipitation. Additionally, an integrated hydro-wind-solar energy system is being developed basin- wide. By leveraging the complementary effects of wind, solar and hydropower, this system will enable a high-quality emergency response capacity to combat extreme weather events such as droughts, heatwaves and cold spells. Sources: World Economic Forum, China Huaneng Group.32 Building Climate-Resilient Utilities: Lessons from China and Future Pathways 16

Building Climate Resilient Utilities 2025