Yunnan Daily
June 9, 2000

Officials in Nujiang prefecture have signed contracts for 59 small hydropower stations to be built on tributaries of the Nu (Salween) and Lancang (Mekong) rivers, Yunnan Daily reports.

Contracts for 59 small hydropower stations were signed, 14 of which are being built and accounts for a total installed capacity of 200 MW. In recent years, in order to nurture new areas of economic development and make Yunnan a national energy base, both the Party Committee and the government of Nujiang Lisu Ethnicity Autonomous Prefecture devoted much effort to encourage the development of the medium and small hydropower stations in the numerous tributaries along Nu and Lancang River Basin. They take the initiative to introduce the private investment and create a flexible funding mechanism for small hydro projects. Until March 2006, four counties of Nujiang Prefecture signed agreements with 34 developers respectively to develop small hydropower stations in 48 tributaries. 59 small hydropower stations are proposed, which account for 763.2 MW and a total cost of 3.615 billion yuan. 14 small hydro projects are under way, which account for 203.15 MW and a total cost of 220 million yuan. “National policy that encourages small hydro development attracts private investment,” said Jie Yi, the Secretary General of Nujiang Prefecture’s Party Committee. In order to attract private capital for the small hydro projects, flexible arrangements in project financing are encouraged. Nujiang Prefecture government also simplifies the procedure of project approval, and requests the private sector to do a better job in environmental protection, ecological recovery and poverty alleviation. Medium and small hydro development will help build for Nujiang Prefecture a green, ecological industry. Original Chinese version. [PDFver here]