NANNING, May 17 (Xinhua) -- A miter gate larger than that of the Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydropower project, began installation Friday in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Upon completion, the miter gate, part of the ship lock of the Dateng Gorge water conservancy project, is expected to greatly improve navigation on the Xijiang River and boost the economy in west China.
Each hinged side of the miter gate, which opens from the middle to allow ships to pass, is 47.5 meters high, 20.2 meters wide and 1,295 tonnes in weight.
"It's nine meters taller than the highest miter gate of the (multi-gate) Three Gorges Dam which holds the world record," said Yang Qixiang, general manager of the Datengxia Water Conservancy Development Co., Ltd.
Located in the city of Guiping, the Dateng Gorge hydro dam is designed for multiple purposes including flood control, navigation and power generation. In particular, it will reduce river salinity during the dry season, thus ensuring the quality of water supplied to Pearl River Delta cities including Macao.
The water conservancy project is estimated to finish construction in 2023.
