(February 21, 2006) Construction workers start to dismantle the remaining part of the second-phase Three Gorges cofferdam

Yichang – Construction workers on Wednesday started to dismantle the remaining part of the second-phase Three Gorges cofferdam, as the average height of the dam of the world’s largest hydro-power project on the Yangtze River is above 140 metres. The height has reached the designated level required by the damming in 2003, when the reservoir starts to hold water. The cofferdam built in 1997 to shield the construction of the main frame of the dam consists of two parts. The one located 200-450 metres upriver of the Three Gorges dam is 1,439 metres long and 88.5 metres high. It was dismantled in November last year. Dismantling of the lower river cofferdam some 400-600 metres away from the dam began today. It is 1,075 metres long and 81.5 metres high. The China Gezhouba Group Co Ltd assembled all of excavating machines for the dismantling. The total project requires about 8 million cu.m. of earthwork with over 3.4 million cu.m. of under water excavation. The project, costing 240 million yuan (about US$28.8 million) is scheduled to be completed by June, 2002. The rocks and earth will be reused in the reservoir construction. The Three Gorges Project launched in 1993, will be completed in 2009, and will provide a permanent ship lock, electricity generation, and water storage.

Xinhua news agency, February 21, 2006