Hydropower plant gets NDRC green light

China's top economic regulator has approved the construction of the Lawa hydropower station along the Jinsha River in the junction of Sichuan province and the Tibet autonomous region, in an effort to increase renewable energy supply and boost local development, said its official website on Tuesday.

The project, located along the main stream of the Jinsha River, will be built to tap into the water resources of the upstream of the river. According to the National Development and Reform Commission, four hydroelectric generating sets will be installed, and the total installed capacity of the project will reach 2,000 megawatts. Its annual power generation is estimated to be 8.36 billion kilowatt-hours.

With a total investment of 30.97 billion yuan ($4.59 billion), its project capital is 6.19 billion yuan, which is 20 percent of the total investment. Huadian Group Co Ltd will have a 48 percent stake in the project, with minority stakes held by provincial firms.