The Longtan hydropower project, designed to exploit western China's rich water resources, began storing water at 9:37 AM on Saturday when four sluice gates were lowered to shut off the flow of the Hongshui River.

The hydropower project is a key component of China's "Go West" campaign which seeks to bring electricity from underdeveloped western Chinese regions which abound in water resources to the economically developed, but energy-thirsty eastern and coastal areas.

It will take eight to 18 days to raise the water level in the reservoir from 215 m to 290.5 meters, said Zhong Jun, chairman of the board of Longtan Hydropower Development Co. Ltd, who is also in charge of Saturday's water storage process.

The water storing process at Longtan will not affect water usage further down the Pearl River because another downstream hydropower project will step in and increase water discharge, according to deputy general manager Long Xianjin.

Located in the northwestern part of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the Longtan Hydropower Project is being built on Honghe River, a major tributary of the Pearl River.

An investment of 30 billion yuan (about US$3.75 billion) from China Datang Corporation (CDT), one of China's five power developers, is being used to build a dam, a ship lock and an underground power generating house where nine turbogenerators totaling 6.3 million kw will be installed.

Construction began in July 2001 and the project is scheduled to finish in 2009, with the first turbogenerator starting to generate power in May 2007. It will be capable of generating 18.7 billion kw/hours of electricity annually once completed.

(Xinhua News Agency September 30, 2006)