Published by: World Tibet Network News, Monday, June 24, 1996

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: John Ackerly

Bhuchung K. Tsering

202.785.1515

Inquiry Launched into Poor Construction and Mismanagement

Washington, D.C. , June 24, 1996: -- The top official overseeing the construction of the Yamdrok Tso hydro-electric plant was dismissed and severely criticized for gross mismanagement and poor quality of one of Tibet's most vaunted projects, according to reliable information received from Tibet. The high-profile electric generation project is now reportedly in shambles, leaving a wake of inquiries, embarrassment and intrigue.

The Yamdrok Tso hydro-electric project, located 120 km south of Lhasa, was begun in 1985 to "enhance development of industry, agriculture and animal husbandry." But the project has been mired in controversy, and construction was halted at one point after Tibetan officials, including the late Panchen Lama, vigorously opposed it.

According to official Chinese pronouncements, construction by the Third Division of the hydropower unit of the People's Armed Police was proceeding smoothly. These claims evaporated last fall when Vice Premier Wu Bangguo came to attend opening ceremonies at the plant during the celebrations honoring the 30th anniversary of the Tibet Autonomous Region. Vice Premier Wu was to flip a switch to start the plant's first turbine, but the plant was in such disarray that electricity had to be piped in from the Yangpachen thermal power plant for the ceremony.

Following the make-shift ceremony, an inquiry was launched discovering that construction of the tunnels leading from the lake to the turbines were leaking terribly, and were not usable. One report said earth had collapsed in one tunnel. A major issue since the inception of the project has been questions over how much the water level in the lake will drop. Reports say that it has already dropped 1 - 2 meters, creating a lower shoreline.

A high level meeting was convened by Beijing in Chengdu in April of this year to investigate what had gone wrong. According to reports, the meeting led to the dismissal of Fang Changquan, the commander of the People's Armed Police construction brigade. A Xinhua news report confirmed that the construction division's deputy commander is now in charge of their next assignment at the Zhikong hydroelectric project being built 96 kilometers from Lhasa on the Lhasa river.

Reports from Lhasa and Beijing, from sources who do not wish to be identified, say that Fang has been accused of diverting resources from the power station to her hometown in China.

It appears that Yamdrok Tso's troubles have become widely known and talked about in Lhasa, fueled by resentment that the project had proceeded despite local opposition and warnings from experts and officials that it was poorly planned.