China's second-largest hydropower station starts operation

Photo taken on July 14, 2013 shows the first generator unit in Xiluodu hydropower station, which is located on the lower reach of Jinsha River between Leibo county of Sichuan Province and Yongshan county of Yunnan Province, both in southwest China. The first generator unit "13F" went into formal operation on Monday after a three-day trial. The hydropower plant will be the second largest one ranking only second to the Three Gorges when all of its 18 units go into operation in 2014. (Xinhua/Sun Ronggang

China's second-largest hydropower station became operational Monday with its first power generating unit officially starting work after a three-day test run.

The No. 13 power generating unit with a capacity of 770,000 kw at the Xiluodu hydropower station started providing electricity to the China Southern Power Grid, its operator China Three Gorges Corporation said in a statement.

With a total generating capacity of 13.86 gigawatts, the station is the world's third-largest after the Three Gorges and Itaipu hydroelectric projects.

Construction of the Xiluodu hydropower station, located in the Jinsha River, a major headstream of the Yangtze in southwestern Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, started in 2005. It is expected to be completed in 2015 with 18 power generating units.