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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, November 20, 2001

Second-phase Cofferdam of Three Gorges Project to be Dismantled

Over 100 large-scale excavating machines were assembled to dismantle the second-phase cofferdam of the Three Gorges Project Sunday. The project, costing 240 million yuan (about 28.8 million US dollars), is scheduled to be complete by June, 2002.


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Three Gorges Cofferdam to be Dismantled
Dismantling work of the second-phase cofferdam of the Three Gorges Project was started on November 18.

About eight million cubic meters of rocks and earth will be excavated for the project, with over 3.5 million cubic meters excavated under water.

The project, costing 240 million yuan (about 28.8 million US dollars), is scheduled to be completed by June, 2002.

The Three Gorges Project launched in 1993, will be completed in 2009, which will realize a permanent ship lock, starting generating electricity, and storing water.

According to the chief person in charge of China Yangtze Three Gorges Project Development Co., the second damming of Yangtze River will be launched by the end of 2002.



The key constructions of the Three Gorges Project consist of the dam, power station and navigation building. To ensure a non-interrupted navigation, the Yangtze River is to be dammed twice during the 17 years' course of construction.

The first damming was finished in November 1997. Under the protection of the cofferdam, the construction of the second phase of the dam project and the factory buildings has been completed.

The second damming will be made over a diversion channel, a "manmade Yangtze River". The diversion channel is 3.7 kilometers in length and 350 meters in width. Opened to navigation in October 1997, it takes up the task of diversion and navigation between 1997 and 2002. After the damming of the diversion channel, the diversion and navigation will be taken over by the diversion system and the permanent locks.

The third phase of the Three Gorges Project and the factory buildings of the power stations will be constructed under the protection of the cofferdam afterwards.
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