(November 17, 2006) Plans to build a hydropower station on a sacred Tibetan lake in western China were abandoned last week, with the authorities deciding that developing the local tourist industry could turn out to be more profitable, but if the central government continues to encourage mining throughout its remote western regions, it will also need to build the infrastructure required to draw in investors.
Power station plan at SW China scenic spot sparks controversy
(November 14, 2006) Plans to build a hydropower station in a national scenic spot in southwest China have fired a debate on the precedence of economic development over natural conservation.
China to begin construction of another hydropower plant on Yangtze River
(November 4, 2006) China will begin working on another hydropower station on Yalong River, a major tributary on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, this month.
Chinese government will continue supporting big hydropower: expert
(October 28, 2006) China is unlikely to turn its back on the massive and largely unexploited hydropower potential despite a number of recent controversies and setbacks, an expert with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said on Tuesday.
Nu River dam plans to be scaled back
(October 26, 2006) China’s minister of water resources has poured cold water on the plan to build 13 dams on the Nu River in the southwest of the country, calling the proposal a form of "predatory development."
Large hydropower stations on upper Yangtze River no risk to panda habitats
(October 24, 2006) China’s large-scale hydropower exploitation of the Yangtze River’s upper reaches pose no risk to nearby giant panda habitats, experts said here Friday.
Media and the future of Tiger Leaping Gorge
(October 23, 2006) “It is a test-case”, Professor Yu had told me before I went to visit Tiger Leaping Gorge. “The plan to build a dam in this scenic spot is an opportunity for local people; NGO’s, the Chinese media and everyone who’s concerned with the current decision-making mechanism have their voices heard.
Yunnan suggests redrawing boundary of Three Parallel Rivers heritage site
(October 16, 2006) Translated from the Guangzhou-based Nanfeng Chuang magazine.
Longtan hydropower plant begins water storage
(September 30, 2006) The reservoir of the Longtan hydropower project, China’s third largest hydroelectric plant, began storing water on Saturday when four sluice gates were lowered to stop the flow of the Hongshui River.
Minister criticizes ‘predatory development’ of Nu River
(September 26, 2006) The proposal to build 13 hydropower plants on the Nu (Salween) River in southwestern China’s Yunnan Province constitutes a form of “predatory development”, said Wang Shucheng, China’s Minister of Water Resources.
NGOs in China: Helping those devoured by the dragon
(September 5, 2006) ‘We are not fundamentally against the [Nu River dams] project,’ Yu Xiaogang insists. ‘But we want the consequences for the environment, for the people and for the economy to be assessed first, just as the law requires.’
Hydropower accident kills seven in SW China province
(August 24, 2006) An accident at Shuanglong hydropower station near the city of Yibin in Sichuan swept seven workers to their death, left one person missing and injured six others.
China warns aging dams risk flood disaster
(August 8, 2006) The head of China’s State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has said he is worried about the country’s aging dams, many of which were built in the 1950s and 1960s. ‘Now many dams are already operating beyond their expiry date,’ he said.
Damming Asia’s watershed: China’s hydropower plans in Tibet
(August 4, 2006) After covering most of the rivers of southwestern China in dams and turbines, the big players in the industry – encouraged by the central government in Beijing – are now coveting Tibet, which is thought to have the biggest potential capacity of all.
Asian hopes for hydropower may add to oil reliance
(August 4, 2006) ‘Asian plans for a multitude of hydroelectric projects will lead some nations to a greater reliance on dams to meet power demand, potentially triggering costly bouts of extra oil imports in times of drought.’
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