Tibet hydropower station begins operations

The first of four units at Tibet's Yarang Hydropower Station began operating on Tuesday, easing concerns over power shortages in remote Methok county, the state-owned electric utility China Huaneng Group said.

Methok county in southwestern Tibet borders India and was among the last of China's 2,200 counties to get road access. There had been no stable electricity supply because of poor infrastructure, frequent equipment errors and natural disasters, the utility said.

Situated in the southwestern part of the county, the hydropower station has an installed capacity of 5,000 kilowatts, and it is expected to increase that to 6,000 kilowatts in the near future, Huaneng Group said.

Construction on the station started in 2013, and all four power units are expected to be operating by the end of the year, providing stable and reliable power supplies to all villages in Methok county's eight townships.