Ongoing construction of the Three Gorges Dam is expected to ensure interception of the Yangtze River between October and November next year. First phase of the construction is being accomplished ahead of schedule.

The project officially started in December 1993. By the end of 1995, 108.8 million cubic metres of earth had been removed and 1.35 million cubic metres of cement placed.

The only delay experienced was in the building of a highway linking the dam site with the nearest city, Yichang, where the Three Gorges company is based.

The road, originally scheduled to open to traffic in June, will not be ready for another one to three months thereafter.

But a bridge spanning one of the three gorges will be built in March, three months ahead of schedule.

The pressure to start the second phase of construction in early 1998 did not force the company to exceed its budget.

Invested capital by the end of last year totaled 11.5 billion yuan, with 20-30 percent of the total used as working capital, 0.8 billion yuan spent on heavy-duty equipment and almost 7.5 billion yuan on infrastructure.

At present, construction of a 350-meter-wide diversion channel is in full swing on the right bank of the Yangtze and a temporary shiplock 60-90 metres high is also under construction.

During the second phase, the dam will be built to a height of 87 metres and by 2003, the first turbine will have been installed on the southern bank to start generating power.

When the second phase is completed, 14 turbines and a 135-metre-high permanent ship-lock will have been built on the southern bank.

In the final phase, the dam will be raised to a maximum height of 175 metres and an additional 12 turbines will be installed on the northern bank of the Yangtze River.