A total of 166, 000 villagers in the Three Gorges reservoir area have been relocated during the past six years, accounting for 41 percent of planned number, the reporter learned form a meeting to summarize the relocation work.

Eleven provinces and cities including Shanghai have relocated 96,000 villagers in about 2,000 settlement points in 249 counties; other counties in Chongqing Municipality and Hubei Province have settled 45,000 people; and another 25, 000 move to 20 provinces and municipalities. The villagers are now adapting themselves to the local community.

According to officials with the Three Gorges project office, the third phase of construction is underway and water storage to 156 meters will hopefully be realized ahead of schedule. The comprehensive function of the Three Gorges Project has been seen. In the flood season in 2004, the project successfully alleviated pressure on the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Having generated power of 3.914 bln kilowatts in 2004, the project effectively eased shortage of electricity in east, central China and Guangdong Province. With improvement of shipping condition at the reservoir section, the cargo throughput had set a new record in 2004, and the history that no ship can sail in certain sections of the river at night has come to an end after the river is broadened.