Oblique map of the Yangtze River

The lower inflation rate in China since 1994 has allowed the cost to be reduced from 203.9 billion Yuan to about 180 billion Yuan or US 25 billion (China Three Gorges Project Corporation, 2006, 2007). This cost is expected to be recovered when the electricity output reaches 1000 TWh at a selling price of 250 billion Yuan ( US 30 billion), estimated to occur in about 10 years after the dam reaches full operation in 2011 (China Culture Mall Trading Group, Inc., 2007). 

As of 1 July 2008, the Three Gorges Dam Project had already generated over 235 TWh of electricity (Table 1 from Xinhua News Agency, 2007-12-08). 

Presumably when the debts are paid off, the Three Gorges Dam Project will generate funds that can be used by the China Three Gorges Project Corporation for new projects or to reduce energy costs in China. 

Apart from the nationalistic pride involved in building the largest hydroelectric dam in the world, there are a number of real or probable benefits from the construction. These are outlined below. 

As has been widely discussed before and during the 9th Olympic Games in Beijing, air pollution is a major problem in eastern China. The major source of energy for heating buildings has traditionally been coal. It took 366 g of coal to generate 1 kWh 

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