Chongqing founds Three Gorges Reservoir Administration

Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality officially founded its Three Gorges Reservoir Administration in Chongqing on January 4, which will deal with affairs concerning the huge water control project's Chongqing section.

The administration will make policies to preserve the water quality of the reservoir, protect the environment, control exploitation and development of area resources and draft plans in an emergency, said Director of the Immigration Bureau Liu Fuyin.

The administration will also collect information about the gigantic water conservancy project, the official said.

The new administration is expected to play a crucial role to guarantee the construction and safe running of Three Gorges Reservoir's Chongqing section, acknowledged Liu. The protection of the environment of Three Gorges will be significant to sustainable development of the area.

Launched in 1993, the Three Gorges Project on the Yangtze Riveris the biggest of its kind in the world. The mammoth project has been built in three phases. Preparations and actual construction in the first phases were carried out between 1993 and 1997. The Yangtze was dammed at the Three Gorges area for the first time on November 8, 1997.

In accordance with an original plan, the Three Gorges Project, with a budget of 180 billion yuan (some 21.7 billion US dollars), will have 26 generators with a combined generating capacity of up to 18.2 million kw, The mammoth dam will be able to produce 84.7 billion kwh of hydro-electric power annually upon its completion in 2009.

To date, 11 generators installed on the northern bank of the Yangtze have begun operation.

Apart from power generation, the project is designed to help control flooding on middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze.

Source: Xinhua