China's second-largest hydropower station in full operation

China's second-largest hydropower station started full operation on Tuesday after its last generating unit completed a three-day test run late on Monday.

With 18 large generators and a total capacity of 13.86 gigawatts, Xiluodu is the world's third-largest station after the Three Gorges and Itaipu hydroelectric projects, according to its operator, China Three Gorges Corporation.

The station can generate 57.1 billion kwh of electricity a year, which can replace 20 million tonnes of coal and reduce greenhouse gas emissions of 48 million tonnes.

Construction of the Xiluodu hydropower station, located in the Jinsha River, a major headstream of the Yangtze in southwestern Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, started in 2005.