The Shanghai Hydro-power Equipment Company has developed what it says is the world's biggest piece of hydro power generation equipment, a mount for a hydro power generation unit stator.

The mount, which measures 22 meters (72 feet) in diameter and covers 380 square meters (454 square yards), was manufactured for the Three Gorges Dam Project at present under construction.

The project has a design capacity to produce the equivalent clean energy of 14 nuclear plants, saving 40 million tons of coal each year.

The company is also in the process of bidding for manufacturing contracts for other major power generation equipment for the dam project and Longtan Hydro Power Station in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China.

The Shanghai-based company is a joint venture between Shanghai Electric Group Corp and Voith Siemens Hydro Power Co.

(People's Daily May 15, 2002)