Vice Premier urges high-quality Three Gorges project

Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli on Wednesday called for a high-quality Three Gorges project, the world's largest hydropower scheme, to ensure its lasting safe operation.

Zhang made the remarks at a plenary meeting of the construction committee of the project, urging relevant departments and local authorities to push forward the work with high standard and high quality.

The Three Gorges project is a multi-functional water control system consisting of a 2,309-meter-long and 185-meter-high dam, a five-tier ship lock and 26 hydropower generators, located in central China.

Construction began in 1994 and was completed in July last year when its final turbine went into operation.

Zhang said the project's integrated effects in flood-prevention and electricity generation have been gradually emerging, and it benefited people living in more than ten provincial-level regions.

The project is in a critical period as there is still more work in the optimal distribution of water resources, ecological environmental protection as well as geographical disaster prevention and control, according to Zhang.

Zhang asked relevant departments and local authorities to strengthen comprehensive and scientific management in order to ensure the safety of the project operation.

Vice Premier Wang Yang also attended the meeting and hailed the achievements of the project.