The largest water control project in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region is expected to start generating electricity this year, local officials said.

Construction on the Pondo Water Control Project, located over the Lhasa River in Lhunzhub County, has gone as scheduled, and its first generating set will begin operation in October, said Qiu Zhixing, a project director of the troop in charge of construction.

Dubbed "Tibet's Three Gorges Dam," construction on the massive project started in 2008 with an investment of 4.57 billion yuan ($728 million). It is expected to be completed in 2016.

Comprised of a reservoir and a power station, the project is designed to irrigate 43,520 hectares of farmland and generate 599 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually upon completion.

(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2013)