The largest hydro-electric project in the world, China's Three Gorges project, began to supply electricity to energy-intensive manufacturers in the southern Guangdong Province this week.
The power station is expected to transmit 8.16 billion kWh of electricity to the province this year.
Six generators went into operation in 2003, producing 8.6 billion kWh of electricity. Three Gorges Project will produce 30.9 billion kWh of electricity this year.
Four more generators, with an installed capacity of 700,000 kW each, are scheduled to start operation respectively in March, May, July and September this year to bring the total number of generating units in operation to 10.
Since the first generating unit began operation on 10 July, 2003, the Three Gorges Project has supplied electricity to 10 provinces and municipalities in central, eastern and southwestern China.
The project is located between the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in Yichang City. With a total investment of 21.76bn US dollars, the project started in 1993 and is scheduled for completion in 2009.
The power station is designed to have a total of 26 generating units, each with an installed capacity of 700,000 kW. When all units are in operation, the station will be able to generate 84.7 billion kWh of electricity annually.
