China Considers Counter-terrorist Measures at Three Gorges Dam: Official

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, June 13, 2003

China Considers Counter-terrorist Measures at Three Gorges Dam: Official

China is considering counter- terrorism measures for the gigantic Three Gorges dam located at the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, a senior official said Thursday. The massive Three Gorges Dam is secure and no penetrating fissures which could potentially undermine the overall structure have been detected.

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A Press Conference On Three Gorges Project Held in Beijing

China is considering counter- terrorism measures for the gigantic Three Gorges dam located at the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, a senior official said Thursday.

"We don't think an attack (by terrorists) could bring a major disaster, but it could definitely inflict certain damage and losses to the dam," said Guo Shuyan, director of the office of the Three Gorges Project Construction Committee of the State Council, at a press conference here Thursday morning.

"So we're considering this issue, including measures such as security checks on ships passing through the ship locks," he added.

No Penetrating Cracks Detected

The massive Three Gorges Dam is secure and no penetrating fissures which could potentially undermine the overall structure have been detected.

According to Pan Jiazheng, a member with China's Academy of Engineering, the fine, superficial cracks already discovered will not have an impact on the structural security of the project as a whole.

Pan, also head of the expert control panel of the Three Gorges Project Construction Committee, explained that some of the cracks had formed as a result of improper protection measures for the dam surface during the winter, while others were caused by design problems.

He said that all of the 80-plus cracks had undergone comprehensive restoration to eliminate potential security risks.

Environmental Protection Major Priority

Environmental protection will be a major priority in the third-phase construction of the Three Gorges Dam Project, experts emphasized at the press conference.

Two-thirds of the total project has now been completed after 10 years of construction, and the third-phase construction is about to get underway. Experts pointed out that there are some small problems with the project such as water quality and environmental protection measures.

After 10 years of construction, the Three Gorges Project, built at a cost of billions of dollars, completed its first phase of water storage on June 10, with the water level in the reservoir rising to 135 meters above sea level.

The permanent ship lock designed to facilitate navigation will be put into operation on June 16. Two power generating units will commence operations in August, marking the completion of the second phase of the project and the start of the third phase.

The total investment in the gigantic hydro-electric project is estimated at 180 billion yuan, or around 22 billion US dollars. After completion in 2009, the project reservoir will put under water 20 counties, districts and cities of central China's Hubei Province and Chongqing Municipality. Apart from power generation and navigation, the Three Gorges Project will also play an important role in flood control.

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