Water is released as heavy rain falls at a massive Pubugou Dam on the Dadu river, a tributary of the Yangtze River in Hanyuan County of Sichuan province, China, August 3, 2018. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj SEARCH "HYDROPOWER CHINA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY 

A man finds shelter from the heavy rain inside a tunnel next to a massive Pubugou Dam on the Dadu river, a tributary of the Yangtze River in Hanyuan County of Sichuan province, China, August 3, 2018. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj SEARCH "HYDROPOWER CHINA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

A 70-year old farmer surnamed Zhang looks over the fish he caught on the Zhougong River near Ya'an in Sichuan province, China, August 4, 2018. Zhang, who described himself as a "hydropower migrant" after his land was inundated by state dam builders 10 years ago, said changes in the river's flow and temperature had decimated the population of a local fish species. "The fish here now taste terrible, and are fit only for dogs," he said. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj SEARCH "HYDROPOWER CHINA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY 

A dead fish is seen on a road hit by a small landslide alongside the Zhougong River near Ya'an in Sichuan province, China, August 4, 2018. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj SEARCH "HYDROPOWER CHINA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Entertainment program is shown on a TV set in a control room of one of the surviving privately-owned small power plants on an unnamed tributary of the fierce and flood-prone Dadu river near Leshan in Sichuan province, China, August 3, 2018. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj SEARCH "HYDROPOWER CHINA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

A worker cuts large pipes as he works on a project to control the flow of water on the Zhougong River near Ya'an in Sichuan province, China August 4, 2018. On the 30-mile Zhougong, authorities have already demolished small projects, but the river houses 10 larger stations run by some of the country's biggest firms, including Guodian, Huadian and the State Grid Corp. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj SEARCH "HYDROPOWER CHINA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

A sign for a fish breeding base run by a local poverty relief and migration work bureau is seen under one of the dams on the Zhougong River near Ya'an in Sichuan province, China, August 4, 2018. On the 30-mile Zhougong, authorities have already demolished small projects, but the river houses 10 larger stations run by some of the country's biggest firms, including Guodian, Huadian and the State Grid Corp. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj SEARCH "HYDROPOWER CHINA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

A villager carries a basket over a suspension bridge on the Zhougong River near Ya'an in Sichuan province, China, August 4, 2018. On the 30-mile Zhougong, authorities have already demolished small projects, but the river houses 10 larger stations run by some of the country's biggest firms, including Guodian, Huadian and the State Grid Corp. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj SEARCH "HYDROPOWER CHINA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Water flows over Zhaoheng Dashiban Power Station on the Zhougong River near Ya'an in Sichuan province, China, August 4, 2018. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj SEARCH "HYDROPOWER CHINA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

A 70-year old farmer surnamed Zhang stands near the fish he caught on the Zhougong River near Ya'an in Sichuan province, China, August 4, 2018. Zhang, who described himself as a "hydropower migrant" after his land was inundated by state dam builders 10 years ago, said changes in the river's flow and temperature had decimated the population of a local fish species. "The fish here now taste terrible, and are fit only for dogs," he said. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj SEARCH "HYDROPOWER CHINA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

A girl eats her meal in a mountain village on an unnamed tributary of the fierce and flood-prone Dadu river near Leshan in Sichuan province, China, August 3, 2018. Authorities have demolished seven small dam projects this year along a river to clear illegal developments in a new nature reserve. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj SEARCH "HYDROPOWER CHINA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY 

Children play pool in a mountain village on an unnamed tributary of the fierce and flood-prone Dadu river near Leshan in Sichuan province, China, August 3, 2018. Authorities have demolished seven small dam projects this year along a river to clear illegal developments in a new nature reserve. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj SEARCH "HYDROPOWER CHINA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

People from Yi ethnic minority group pass the time outside their home as others pass on the motorcycle in a mountain village on an unnamed tributary of the fierce and flood-prone Dadu river near Leshan in Sichuan province, China, August 3, 2018. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj SEARCH "HYDROPOWER CHINA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

People from Yi ethnic minority group pass the time outside their home in a mountain village on an unnamed tributary of the fierce and flood-prone Dadu river near Leshan in Sichuan province, China, August 3, 2018. Authorities have demolished seven small dam projects this year along a river to clear illegal developments in a new nature reserve. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj SEARCH "HYDROPOWER CHINA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

An elderly woman passes the time outside her home in a village that houses a privately-owned small power station on an unnamed tributary of the fierce and flood-prone Dadu river near Leshan in Sichuan province, China, August 3, 2018. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj SEARCH "HYDROPOWER CHINA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

A villager rests behind drying clothes in a village by one of the dams on the Zhougong River near Ya'an in Sichuan province, China, August 4, 2018. On the 30-mile Zhougong, authorities have already demolished small projects, but the river houses 10 larger stations run by some of the country's biggest firms, including Guodian, Huadian and the State Grid Corp. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj SEARCH "HYDROPOWER CHINA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

A farmer is offered a cigarette from a villager while working in a corn field next to the Zhougong River near Ya'an in Sichuan province, China August 4, 2018. On the 30-mile Zhougong, authorities have already demolished small projects, but the river houses 10 larger stations run by some of the country's biggest firms, including Guodian, Huadian and the State Grid Corp. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj SEARCH "HYDROPOWER CHINA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

A woman sweeps the road in a village that houses a privately-owned small power station on an unnamed tributary of the fierce and flood-prone Dadu river near Leshan in Sichuan province, China, August 3, 2018. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj SEARCH "HYDROPOWER CHINA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

Children cool themselves in one of the tributary of Zhougong River near Ya'an in Sichuan province, China, August 4, 2018. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj SEARCH "HYDROPOWER CHINA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. 

A man manoeuvres a small raft as he goes fishing on the Zhougong River near Ya'an in Sichuan province, China, August 4, 2018. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj SEARCH "HYDROPOWER CHINA" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES.