Half the water in the Liujiaxia Reservoir is frozen after the
worst winter in 60 years, posing threat to the Liujiaxia Hydropower
Station, northwest China's pivotal hydropower plant.
When the ice melt begins, the resulting flows could affect
operation of the generators. The power plant was currently taking
measures to prevent damaging the machines, an official of the
maritime bureau of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture in Gansu
Province said.
"Freezing in such a large area has rarely occurred in the
reservoir. This is the worst in 30 years," the spokesman added.
From mid January to early February, unusual freezing weather has
gripped Gansu as the temperature around the reservoir dropped to
minus 20 degrees centigrade.
The ice has also led to the suspension of the use of three piers
in the reservoir areas. Local authorities have launched
round-the-clock monitoring of the frozen reservoir.
The Liujiaxia Hydropower Station, on the upstream of the Yellow
River, was completed in 1974 with a reserve of 5.7 billion cubic
meters of water. It was the first 1 million kw hydropower station
the country had designed and built on its own.
(Xinhua News Agency February 19, 2008)