China has begun construction of the main structure of the 2.24-GW hydropower station on the Jinsha River, the upper section of the Yangtze River.

The project is undertaken by China Huadian Corp., with a total investment of about 33.4 billion yuan (about 5 billion US dollars).

Wei Yongxin, of Huadian Jinsha River Upstream Hydropower Development Co. Ltd., said the project was approved by the National Development and Reform Commission in 2016, and the power station's first generating unit is expected to start operation in 2025.

A total of 13 hydropower stations have been planned on the upper reaches of the Jinsha River, Wei said. The first such station, Suwalong Hydropower Station, has a designed capacity of 1.2 GW, and its first generating unit is expected to start operation in 2020, China's News Agency (Xinhua) reported.

The power station is expected to replace 3.99 million tonnes of coal and reduce 7.37 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year after it is put into operation, said Jia Zhongqi, another Huadian official.

The Yebatan Hydropower Station is located at the junction of Baiyu County in southwest China's Sichuan Province and Konjo County in Tibet Autonomous Region. It will be the largest hydropower station on the upper reaches of the Jinsha River upon completion. (QNA)