The mammoth undertaking of 17 years will conclude at the end of 2009. China Foto Press

     The last stage of the Three Gorges Project will be finished at the end of 2009 after 17 years of work. Upon the completion of construction, the power plant will be able to generate 100 billion kWh annually. Up to the end of June 2009, RMB 184.9 billion had been invested in it, generating more than 320 billion kWh. Ocean-going vessels had traversed the shiplock nearly 50,000 times, transporting over 300 million tons of cargo. Its initial design called for the installation of 26 generators with an annual capacity equivalent to 50 million tons of raw coal. Cheap and clean energy generated by the project has fueled central, eastern and southern China. To date, about 1.27 million people have been relocated to make way for the project, and the relocation work for the final stage has been basically completed.