Domestic production of key products in China is an important matter for protecting national security.

The South China Morning Post's front page reported that the highest double-curvature arch concrete dam in China, Yebatan Hydropower Station, located on the upper reaches of the Jinsha River at the border between Sichuan Province and the Tibet Autonomous Region in southwestern China, is under construction. It has been reported that a small German industrial computer (PLC) originally planned for use was replaced with a Chinese system.

This power station will be the third largest hydropower plant in China, following the Three Gorges Dam and the Baihetan Dam, and will become the fourth largest hydropower plant in the world. However, the use of domestic PLCs is considered to be for national security reasons.

Until recently, the PLCs at Yebatan Hydropower Station were manufactured by German Siemens and French Schneider Electric, but recently, it was decided to use PLCs from a domestic major company, Loongson Technology. Loongson is a company originating from the Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

According to the report, this change is due to increasing concerns about the vulnerabilities of industrial control systems. The Chinese government has taken into account the risk that foreign-made PLCs may be forced to shut down due to cyberattacks by external computer viruses.

In the past, a malicious software known as Stacksnet had targeted Siemens PLCs in Iran's nuclear facilities. This was the first case where physical damage was achieved through PLCs, symbolizing the vulnerability of industrial control systems.

The replacement of Siemens PLCs in China is driven by the need for national infrastructure security and technological self-reliance.

The Yebatan Hydropower Station is located at an altitude of about 3,000 meters, with a total installed capacity of 2.24 million kilowatts. The maximum dam height is 217 meters, and the total volume of concrete poured is 2.51 million cubic meters. It is positioned as one of the major projects during China's "14th Five-Year Plan." The first phase of this power generation facility is expected to be operational by the end of 2025.

Original article: www.toutiao.com/article/1840836934020096/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.