China's large-scale hydropower projects on the Yangtze River's upper reaches pose no risk to nearby giant panda habitats, experts said Friday.

 

The climate changes in the area due to the hydropower projects would in fact assist the giant panda's survival, said Yu Jianqiu, vice director of Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Center.

 

During the past 20 years, China has started or completed more than ten large hydropower stations on the upper Yangtze each with a capacity of at least three million kilowatts.

 

When small and medium-sized hydropower stations are added in, the total capacity in the area is about five times greater than the Three Gorges hydropower station, said China's Ministry of Water Resources.

 

On Sunday, the six-million-kilowatt Xiangjiaba hydropower station will start operation. At least 1.4 billion yuan (about US$175 million) of project funds have been earmarked for environmental protection.

 

Yu said more than 100 wild giant pandas lived in the stations' drainage area and this had sparked widespread concern that their natural environment might be affected.

 

But the expert said most of the concerns were "unnecessary" because all the projects were built or planned on the Yangtze mainstream, far from the giant panda habitats.

 

The Mamize Natural Reserve, the closest habitat, is about 50 kilometers from the Xiluodu station currently under construction, Yu said.

 

The Yangtze tributaries Xining River and Xisujiao River are the main water sources for Mamize, said Gyina Guqe, chief of the natural reserve.

 

"When completed, the hydropower station will slightly raise the water levels of the two tributaries and the humidity of the natural reserve will also rise," said Gyina, adding that this will help the growth of the subtropical wildlife in the area, especially the 12,000 hectares of bamboos that giant pandas feast on.

 

The Xiluodu hydropower station will replace local thermal power plants, which means 41 million tons less coal burnt each year, said the official.

 

About 150 million tons of carbon dioxide and 850,000 tons of sulfur dioxide emissions will be eliminated thanks to the new hydropower project, said Gyina. 

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 25, 2006)