China will build four new hydropower plants on the Jinsha River in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

The hydropower plants, which set to be the country's largest energy base, will have a combined generating capacity of 38.5 million kilowatts.

Two of the four power plants, Xiluodu and Xiangjiaba hydropower plants, have been approved by the central government and will start construction next year.

The project will be developed by the Three Gorges Project Development Corporation, the developer of the famous Three Gorges Project being built in the middle of the Yangtze, the country's longest river.

(CRI Sepetember 6, 2004)