The eighth hydroelectric power generator started operation
Friday morning at China's Three Gorges Power Project on the Yangtze
River, after a successful 72-hour test run and routine checks.
Presently there are eight power generators in operation at the
Three Gorges project, each with a generating capacity of 700,000
kilowatts that can generate 115 million kwh of electricity a day,
according to Zhang Cheng, director of the Three Gorges Hydropower
Plant.
By April 29, the hydropower plant had generated 17.8 billion kwh
of electricity, he acknowledged.
Zhang went on to say that the installation and trial operation
of the eighth generator took only 59 days, the shortest time range
compared with the previous seven, the first of which became
operational on July 10, 2003.
Another two generators are expected to be installed in July and
September, and the plant is likely to generate 34.6 billion kwh of
electricity this year, he added.
The project will help ease power shortage across the country,
especially in the central and eastern regions.
Launched in 1993 and set to be completed in 2009, the gigantic
Three Gorges project will be installed with 26 generators, which
are expected to generate an average 84.7 billion kwh of electricity
a year.
(Xinhua News Agency May 1, 2004)