The dam was constructed by the Japanese between 1937 and 1943 in order to generate electricity and has been repaired and renovated several times throughout the years, mainly due to spillway damage from flooding.

[3][4] After World War II, in 1947, the Soviet Union occupied the area, and dismantled and carried three of the seven generators to the Irtysh River dam in Kazakhstan.

Between 23 and 24 June 1952, the dam was attacked by 250 bombers and fighters, dropping 90 tons of munitions on the power station, transformer yard and auxiliary facilities.

Flooding in 1946 damaged the stilling basin at the toe of the dam and destroyed its spillway, requiring repairs the next year.

[6] In 1983, China began constructing an additional power station just downstream of the dam on their side of the river with two 67.5 MW generators.

An auxiliary spillway 1.7 km (1 mi) north of the dam consists of 16 sluice gates and has a maximum discharge capacity of 17,046 m3/s (601,974 cu ft/s).

The original power station at the base of the dam contains six 105 MW Francis turbine-generators which are afforded an average hydraulic head of 77 m (253 ft).