Construction began Saturday on the biggest hydro-electric station on the Yellow River, China's second longest waterway.

 

Located in Guide County, northwestern Qinghai Province, Laxiwa Hydroelectric Station will have a capacity of 4,200 megawatts and annual average generation of 10.223 billion kw-hours, according to the Yellow River Upper Reaches Hydropower Development Company.

 

The station will be the second tiered hydropower plant between Longyang Gorge and Qingtong Gorge on the river's upper reaches. Its 250-m-high dam will be the highest on the river.

 

Laxiwa is listed as one of the key state projects to be completed during the 11th five-year-program period (2006-2010) with a budget of 14.5 billion yuan (US$1.79 billion).

 

The station is expected to be completed by the year 2010, with its first generating unit to begin operating in 2008.

 

(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2006)