Construction of the huge dam of the Three Gorges hydropower
project on the Yangtze River is expected to be completed on May 20,
an executive with the China Yangtze River Three Gorges Project
Development Corporation said Sunday.
"There are less than 3,000 cubic meters of concrete left to be
placed before the dam is finally completed and this is nine months
ahead of the schedule," said Cao Guangjing, deputy general manager
of the corporation.
The completion of the dam--2,309 meters long and 185 meters
high--marks the end of the principal part of the project which is
often compared to the Great Wall in its scale, said Cao.
The dam is situated near Xiling Gorge, the most easterly of the
Three Gorges on the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. The
construction of the dam was split into two phases -- the right and
the left banks.
Work began in 1998 from the north bank of the Yangtze River and
this part of the project was completed in October 2002.
Work on the other side started in July 2003. Now the two parts
have met and most of the dam sections on both sides have reached
the same level. ?
Started in 1993, the Three Gorges Project which includes 26
generators is scheduled to be completed in 2009 and will be capable
of generating 84.7 billion kwh of electricity annually.
?
?
(Xinhua News Agency May 8, 2006)
