Unmanned on duty" hydropower plants have developed for 8 years in China, and great achievements have been made during these years. 28 hydropower plants have passed the checkup executed by the former State Power Industry Ministry of China and the State Power Corporation of China. The progresses in management and techniques have promoted the operation efficiency of hydropower plants, and the entire management has been greatly improved. In this paper, the implementation, achievements and experiences in "unmanned on duty" hydropower plants in China are reviewed. Aimed at existing problems, some suggestions are proposed for future work. The development trend of hydropower plants in China is pointed out, and the prospects of reaching the international level are outlined.
