Landmark water project completes ahead of schedule.docx
LandmarkwaterprojectcompletesaheadofscheduleByHouLiqiangUpdated:2023-09-03PhototakenonSept2,2023showstheDatengxiawaterresourcesmanagementfacilityinSouthwestChina.Photo/XinhuaThemainstructureoftheDatengxiawaterresourcesmanagementfacilityinSouthwestChinahasbeencompletedfourmonthsaheadofschedule,theMinistryofWaterResourcessaidonSaturday.Theproject,whichislocatedintheXijiangRiver,atributaryofthePearlRiver,haseightpowergenerationunits,eachwithaninstalledcapacityof200,000kilowatts.Itcanannuallygeneratemorethan6billionkilowatthoursofelectricity.Theministrysaidtheprojectisalsoexpectedtocontributetofloodcontrol,navigation,waterresourcesallocation,andirrigationinthePearlRiverBasin.Incooperationwithotherreservoirsinthebasin,theprojectcanhelpWuzhou,acitywithapopulationofover2.8millioninGuangxi,copewithonce-in-a-hundred-yearfloods.Previously,thecitywasonlyabletowithstandfloodsthatoccuronceevery50years.1123456NextTheProjeCtalsoenablessomecitiesinthePearlRiverDeltatoresistfloodsthathappenonceeverytwocenturies.Thankstotheproject,vesselsofupto3,000metrictonscannownavigateintheQianjiangRiver,asectionoftheXijiangRiver,upfromonly300tons.TheministrysaidtheDatengxiafacilitywillalsoprovidestrongsupporttoruralVitaIization,offeringirrigationwaterto80,000hectaresOffarmlandandaddressingdrinkingwatershortageforalmost1.4millionpeopleinGuangxi.Theprojecthasalreadyplayedsignificantrolesinthepastthreeyearswhenitwasputintotrialoperation.Forexample,inJunelastyear,ithelpedpreventandstoreabout700millioncubicmetersoffloodwaterwhentheXijiangRiverwashitbyaflood.Inthepeak,itreducedwaterflowby3,500cubicmeterspersecond.Todate,thepowergeneratorswiththeprojecthavegenerated11.5billionkilowatthoursofelectricity.Withatotalinvestmentofover35.7billionyuan,theDatengxiawaterresourcesmanagementfacilityisalandmarkprojectthatwillbenefitmillionsofpeopleinSouthwestChina.