(August 29, 2002) The last phase of construction is likely to be completed in 2008, a year ahead of schedule, a project official says.

The last phase construction of the Three Gorges Project is likely to be completed in 2008, a year ahead of schedule, said Pu Haiqing, director of the Three Gorges Project Construction Committee. The three-phase project, which kicked off construction in 1994 on the middle reaches of China’s longest river, has entered its third phase. The gigantic project is estimated to cost 180 billion yuan (US$21.7 billion) and will have a total generating capacity of 18.2 million kilowatts. Construction will shift focus from the northern bank of the Yangtze River to the southern where 12 more turbo-generators will be installed. All 14 turbo-generators were installed on the northern bank of the Yangtze and began working as of September 16, which made the project start power generation one year ahead of schedule. The first generator on the southern bank is expected to begin power production in 2007. Pu said that the two ship gates of the dam will be rebuilt by next October to allow the dam reserve more water, but the construction will curb the shipping capacity of the middle reaches of the Yangtze during that period. Cargo of 20 million tons will have to be shipped in other ways, which will increase the costs to local shipping companies, Pu said, adding that they will compensate those companies for losses accrued. He said that they paid out tens of millions of yuan last year for the losses that the construction had brought to the local shipping companies.

Shanghai Daily, August 29, 2002