BEIJING - China started to build the largest hydropower station in its Tibetan areas on Monday to tap the rich water resources in the southwest.

China extends assistance for Three Gorges Project regions

The hydropower station, which straddles the Yalong River in Sichuan's Ganzi Tibetan autonomous prefecture, has an installed generating capacity of three gigawatts with a total reservoir capacity of 10.8 billion cubic meters.

The first generator is expected to come into service at the end of 2021 and the entire station to be completed in 2023.

A subsidiary of the State Development and Investment Corporation is in charge of the construction and management of the hydropower station.

The hydropower station is among a string of hydroelectric installations that have been built or will be built along the Yalong River. They are planned to send electric power to China's southwest regions as well as eastern areas.