[SMM Steel] 150th major water conservancy projects will be built in three years, and the "rigid demand" big project will come.

Published: Jul 28, 2020 18:13 (GMT+8)

150 major water conservancy projects will be built in three years, and the "rigid demand" big project will come.

Recently, the National standing Committee of China has studied and deployed the construction of 150 major water conservancy projects from 2020 to 2022, and proposed to step up efforts to promote construction and promote the expansion of effective investment. At the same time, it makes clear the work policy for the next step: the construction of major water conservancy projects can only be strengthened, not weakened.

 

On July 13th, the policy briefing of the State Council revealed that China plans to promote the construction of 150 major water conservancy projects from 2020 to 2022, with a total investment of about 1.29 trillion yuan and direct and indirect investment of about 6.6 trillion yuan.

 

Since the beginning of the rainy season this year, rainstorm and flood disasters have occurred frequently in China. According to the statistics of the Emergency Management Department, since July, floods have occurred in 336 rivers in China above the warning water level, of which 115 rivers have exceeded the guaranteed water level and 38 have exceeded the historical water level. Major flood situations such as the Yangtze River Basin, the Yellow River Basin and the Huaihe River Basin follow one after another, and the flood control situation is complex and grim, highlighting the great significance of the construction of water conservancy projects.

The state attaches great importance to the construction of major water conservancy projects. according to statistics, the total investment of 150 major water conservancy projects is about 1.29 trillion yuan, of which five projects exceed 50 billion yuan, four projects range from 30 billion yuan to 50 billion yuan, and 18 projects range from 10 billion yuan to 30 billion yuan. It can lead to direct and indirect investment of 6.6 trillion yuan and create an average of 800000 jobs a year. At present, the National Development and Reform Commission has allocated a cumulative investment of 52.8 billion yuan in the central budget for major water conservancy projects in 2020 to support various localities in speeding up project construction.

Focusing on the promotion of water conservancy construction projects is naturally a great benefit to the steel industry and the steel market. The construction of water conservancy projects will certainly stimulate the demand for steel and create a huge market.

There are three main types of steel for water conservancy construction:

According to the estimates of relevant experts, in the comprehensive water conservancy project, the investment in steel bar accounts for 3% of the total investment, and the investment in equipment, including sluices, water pumps, hoists and power generation equipment, accounts for 10% of the total investment. 12%. China's three Gorges Project is famous all over the world. Its dam consists of 26.89 million tons of concrete plus 290000 tons of steel bars and 255000 tons of other steel. The total amount of steel used for the dam has reached 500000 tons.

According to the investment of 1.29 trillion yuan in 150 water conservancy projects in China from 2020 to 2022, according to the investment of 3% steel bar, the investment scale of steel bar of 387 trillion yuan will be realized in the next two years, taking into account the amount of steel such as wire, plate, pipe and so on. There is no doubt that it will create a huge steel consumption market.

In addition, the demand for indirect steel in water conservancy construction should not be underestimated. A large number of construction machinery are needed in the process of water conservancy construction, including hoists, excavators, loaders, and so on. It is understood that in the national irrigation and water conservancy infrastructure construction in winter and spring in 2014-15, a total of 316 million machines were deployed to complete 11.5 billion cubic meters of earthwork and 3.716 billion working days for farmers. Its great demand will promote the development of machinery and equipment industry and enhance the demand for steel in the machinery industry. The construction of water conservancy projects is closely related to hydropower projects, and the hydropower industry also needs to consume all kinds of steel, such as rebar, profile, metal structure steel, pressure pipeline steel and so on.

China attaches great importance to the construction of water conservancy projects, which will bring long-term and stable demand to the steel industry in the next few years. The big project of "rigid demand" is worth looking forward to.

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or for more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn
For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn
Related News
Korea Zinc's $7.4B US Project Passes Environmental Assessment, Set for 2029 Trial Operations
11 hours ago
Korea Zinc's $7.4B US Project Passes Environmental Assessment, Set for 2029 Trial Operations
Read More
Korea Zinc's $7.4B US Project Passes Environmental Assessment, Set for 2029 Trial Operations
Korea Zinc's $7.4B US Project Passes Environmental Assessment, Set for 2029 Trial Operations
On September 21, Korea Zinc announced that its $7.4 billion US manufacturing project had passed the environmental impact assessment. The facility is scheduled to begin trial operations in 2029 and commercial production the following year, producing 11 critical minerals, 12 non-ferrous metals and semiconductor-grade sulfuric acid. In April, Korea Zinc said it had completed the acquisition of a local zinc smelter and other related companies. The company plans to implement the project by expanding and upgrading the existing facilities.
11 hours ago
Australia Reviews Anti-Dumping Duties on Galvanized Steel from India, Malaysia, Vietnam Amid Zinc Concerns
Sep 11, 2026 18:30 (GMT+8)
Australia Reviews Anti-Dumping Duties on Galvanized Steel from India, Malaysia, Vietnam Amid Zinc Concerns
Read More
Australia Reviews Anti-Dumping Duties on Galvanized Steel from India, Malaysia, Vietnam Amid Zinc Concerns
Australia Reviews Anti-Dumping Duties on Galvanized Steel from India, Malaysia, Vietnam Amid Zinc Concerns
On September 9, 2026, Australia initiated its second sunset review of anti-dumping measures on galvanized steel sheet from India, Malaysia and Vietnam, and separately launched a sunset review of countervailing measures on imports from India. The review covers July 2025-June 2026, with the final report expected by February 11, 2027. As galvanized steel is the largest end-use sector for zinc, the measures directly affect export costs and competitiveness, potentially impacting Australia’s domestic zinc demand and supply chain. Maintaining the duties would provide some protection for domestic steel and coating capacity, while termination could increase low-priced imports and affect regional zinc consumption. The final outcome remains subject to the authorities’ determination.
Sep 11, 2026 18:30 (GMT+8)
JCC Hongyuan Copper's $200M Expansion Project Aims to Boost Capacity to 550,000 mt by 2027
Sep 07, 2026 15:43 (GMT+8)
JCC Hongyuan Copper's $200M Expansion Project Aims to Boost Capacity to 550,000 mt by 2027
Read More
JCC Hongyuan Copper's $200M Expansion Project Aims to Boost Capacity to 550,000 mt by 2027
JCC Hongyuan Copper's $200M Expansion Project Aims to Boost Capacity to 550,000 mt by 2027
The 300,000 mt/year copper cathode expansion project of JCC Hongyuan Copper, a subsidiary of Jiangxi Copper Corporation, entered the pre-approval public notice stage of its environmental impact assessment on September 4, with a total investment of approximately 1.416 billion yuan. The project is planned to start construction in September 2026 and be completed in December 2027. Upon completion, JCC Hongyuan's total capacity will jump from 250,000 mt to 550,000 mt.
Sep 07, 2026 15:43 (GMT+8)