举世瞩目的三峡水利枢纽工程是世界上规模最大的水电站，也是中国有史以来建设的最大型水利水电工程。2010年10月26日，三峡水库蓄水首次达到设计水位175 m，这标志着其防洪、发电、航运等各项功能达到设计要求。三峡工程从构想、论证、设计、建设至竣工全面投入运行历时近百年。当初兴建三峡工程的构想是如何提出的？三峡工程究竟起什么作用？存在什么分歧意见？是如何进行论证的？论证的结论怎样？这是许多人关心而又不太了解的，笔者在文中做了扼要的介绍，以纪念世纪之梦的实现。

The world-famous Three Gorges Project (TGP) is the largest hydropower station in the world and also the largest water resources and hydropower project constructed in China. The impoundment of Three Gorges Reservoir reached the design water level of 175 m for the first time on October 26, 2010, which marked that the various functions such as flood control, power generation and navigation of TGP can meet the design requirements. It took nearly 100 years from conception, demonstration, design, construction and operation to final completion of TGP. How was the conception of TGP proposed? What a role it should be? What are different opinions existed? How was the project demonstrated? What was the conclusion of demonstration? Those are the issues that many people care about but do not quite understand. A compendious introduction is made in memory of the achievement of the century dream.

潘家铮（1927— ） ，男，浙江绍兴市人，教授级高级工程师，中国科学院和中国工程院两院院士，从事水电站设计、建设和科研工作