May 10, 2008 - BBC Monitoring

China is preparing for the building of a project to transmit thermal power resources from the country's northwest to Tibet Autonomous Region in the southwest to boost local economy.

According to initial plan, the 1,100-kilometre long electricity transmission line starts from Golmud in Qinghai Province and ends at Lhasa, regional capital of Tibet, running in the same direction as the Qinghai-Tibet railway, said sources with the National Development and Reform Commission.

The transmission line, dubbed as "Qinghai-Tibet electricity route", is a 500KV power transmission line, with the first phase project target of transmitting 6.5 billion kwh annually. The project is expected to be completed and go into operation in 2010.

Xue Gengxin, vice president of the Xibei Electric Power Design Institute, said that the planned project will be the world's first electricity transmission line above the 5,000 meter altitude.

He said that his institute has concentrated on anti-permafrost research in preparation for the project construction, which is expected to be finished in June or July this year.

The project can transmit thermal power to meet Tibet's electricity demand for economic development as of 2020.

Source: Xinhua news agency, Beijing, in English 0543 gmt 10 May 08

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