The No 1 generator at the Three Gorges Project on the middle reaches of the Yangtze River was connected to the power grid and began commercial operation on Saturday morning.

So far, the first group of six generators with the gigantic water control project has started power generation, according to Zhang Cheng, head of Three Gorges Hydropower Plant.

The Three Gorges Project, which started construction in 1993, is designed to have 26 generators with each having a capacity of 700,000 kw, and will be able to generate 84.7 billion kwh a year on completion.

The first generator began formal power generation on July 10.

The original construction schedule called for only four generators to be installed this year. In fact, six generators are in operation.

According to Zhang, the water level in the reservoir has risen to 139 meters, and all six generators are operating well, with the daily power generation peak amounting to 84 million kwh.

So far, the Three Gorges Project has generated 5.33 billion kwh of electricity and is expected to produce over 6.13 billion kwh of electricity by the end of the year.

All the electricity is transmitted to east and central power grids, as well as to power grids in Chongqing, the largest industrial city on the upper reaches of the Yangtze, and Sichuan Province.

An executive of China Yangtze River Three Gorges Project Development Corp said another four generators would be installed next year and all the 26 generators would be operational by 2009.

Four electricity generators will be installed each year from 2004 to 2009.

Liu Kuanghua, chief accountant with the development corporation, disclosed the information at an ongoing national meeting on water control and power generation, in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou Province.

Five power generators have gone into operation at the Three Gorges Project and another is expected to be connected to the power grid before the end of this year, Liu said.

Estimated to cost 180 billion yuan (US$21.8 billion), the Three Gorges Project will have 26 generators, each with a capacity of 700,000 kw.

The Three Gorges Project began to pay dividends this year, also playing an important role in flood control, power generation, navigation, water diversion and environmental protection.

Close

Today's Top News		Top Business News
+China to "pay any price" for national unity ( 2003-11-23) +Poll sets records for turnout, votes ( 2003-11-24) +Georgians party as president resigns ( 2003-11-24) +Hyper-inflation unlikely in near future ( 2003-11-23) +Clinical test of SARS vaccine set for year-end ( 2003-11-23)		+Gorges providing power ( 2003-11-24) +Bond issuance to continue ( 2003-11-24) +Liberty Mutual moving to Chongqing ( 2003-11-24) +Overseas investment in power needs strong boost ( 2003-11-24) +Call made to open bond market ( 2003-11-24)