The Armed Police Hydropower Corps (wujing shuidian budui) is a specialised branch of the Peoples’ Armed Police (PAP) Force for building dams and power stations. The Hydropower Corps is manned by active duty military (PAP) personnel, but not directly involved in military operations. Hydropower Corps troops are organised into a national command headquarters, three Hydropower General Corps (shuidian zongdui), a local command, as well as a number of commercial companies.
The PAP Hydropower Corps can trace its lineage to the hydropower units of the PLA Capital Construction Corps (jijian gongcheng bing shuidian budui) established in 1966. When the PLA Capital Construction Corps was disbanded in the early 1980s, the hydropower units were retained and transferred to the PAP in 1985. The Hydropower Corps is also known as China Anneng Construction Corporation when involved in commercial activities in domestic and international market. The company played an important role in the Three Gorges Dam project as well as a number of other high-profile water dam and power station projects.
The PAP Hydropower Corps is directly managed by the Beijing-based PAP Hydropower Command Headquarters (wujing shuidian zhihuibu), which is subordinated to the PAP Headquarters. The headquarters is composed of the Commander Department (siling bu), Political Department (zhengzhi bu), and Logistics Department (houqin bu). The headquarters also serves as the head office of the China Anneng Construction Corporation. The 1st Hydropower General Corps is also known as Jiangnan Hydropower and Hydraulic Engineering Company. The 2nd Hydropower General Corps is also known as Jiangxia Hydropower and Hydraulic Engineering Company. The 3rd Hydropower General Corps is also known as Anrong Hydropower and Hydraulic Engineering Company. The PAP Hydropower Three Gorges Dam Command is also known as Anlian Hydropower and Hydraulic Engineering Company.
