Abstract: For energy revolution and power transformation, nearly all the countries have recognized one of the most prominent symbols is the retirement of the coal power plants. However, for a long time in China, huge divides existed on this issue. The domestic public opinion had long been dominated by a strong coal community of interests, and a widespread public thought was held in China–the ultra-low coal emission technology has advanced to a level of coal power plant emission lower than gas power plant emission. In such a view, China could deliver on the Paris Agreement without coal power retirement. However, a recently released report, A high ambition coal phaseout in China: feasible strategies through a comprehensive plant-by-plant assessment, revealed that China must retire all the coal power plants by the years of 2040-2055 if the Paris Agreement is to be fulfilled. The author, working on hydropower for decades, well understands the importance of hydropower in power transformation. This paper discusses the importance and feasibility of hydropower development and power transformation in China, reviewing the historical experiences and lessons in the previous hydropower planning that was prepared for power transformation but failed to be implemented.

Key words: Paris Agreement, energy revolution, power transformation, coal power retirement, ultra-low emissions of power