NEWS - Lancang River (Mekong) damme

[BurmaJapan@xxxxxxx]

Lancang River dammed for construction of power station 

     DACHAOSHAN, Yunnan (Xinhua) -- Workers blocked the Lancang River on
Monday morning,
     allowing for construction of the Dachaoshan Hydropower Station. 

     The hydro facility will be the second of its kind on the river,
which is located in Southwest China. 

     Yunnan Governor He Zhiqiang attended the damming, noting the event
symbolizes China's new
     efforts in developing the river's hydropower resources. 

     Originating in the Tangula Mountain in Northwest China's Qinghai
Province, the river is named
     Mekong after it enters Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia. 

     The 2,000-kilometre river, with vast potential hydropower resources
and untold advantageous
     conditions, is listed as a national hydropower development base. 

     Construction plans include 14-tier hydropower stations on the
river, with a combined generating
     capacity of 22 million kilowatts. 

     The other hydropower station is located in Manwan. 

     Dachaoshan will have a capacity of 1.35 million kilowatts, able to
generate 5.9 billion kilowatts per
     hour of electricity annually. 

     The first generator is scheduled to be online in 2001. The project
is due for completion in 2003,
     alleviating power shortages in Southwest China. 

     Jinghong Hydropower Station, located downstream, will have a
designed installed capacity of 1.5
     million kilowatts. It will include investments from Thailand and
will supply power to that country.
     Feasibility studies for the project were completed recently. 

     Preliminary designs for Xiaowan Hydropower Station, located
upstream, have been completed. The
     station, with a capacity of 4.2 million kilowatts, is a key
component in the development of hydropower
     resources on the Lanchang River. 

     By adjusting water flow, Xiaowan Hydropower Station will enable
other stations to generate an extra
     7 billion kwh of electricity a year. 

     Designs for other hydropower station construction projects are
ongoing.

     Date: 11/12/97
     Author: 
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