The ceremony of completion of the micro-hydropower projects utilizing the loans from the French Agency for Development was held on October 12 in the urban area of Yichang. Jean-Claude Peyronnet, the French Senator, Anthony Chaumuzeau, the Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy in China, Serge LAVROFF, the Consul General of the French Embassy in Wuhan, Grégory Clémente, Director of the Asian Division of the French Development Agency and Zhang Zhengjun，Deputy Mayor of Municipal Government attended the ceremony.

Zhang extended his sincere thanks to the French Development Agency on behalf of the municipal government; he said that Yichang is one of the areas in China or even in the world possessing the most abundant hydropower resources and the best development prospect as the largest hydroelectric base in the world. The total investment of the micro-hydropower projects utilizing the loans from the French Development Agency was over USD 97.5 million, among which about USD 56 million (EUR 40 million) was loaned from the French Development Agency. The project has achieved the expected in the aspects of social benefit, resettlements, environmental assessment, quality, security, investment and so on since the start of the project in January 2009. The construction has been accomplished successfully, and after its completion the project will play an important role in Yichang’s economic and social development as well as the ecological protection. It will help to improve the quality of people’s drinking water and the security levels of the four reservoir dams in the Huangbaihe Rive Basin.

Clément said in his speech that it was absolutely a successful project finished as scheduled. The advanced project management has brought great economic and social benefits. The completion of the project can reduce the carbon dioxide emission by 0.2 million tons and will benefit the whole world. The French Development Agency expects to further enhance its cooperation with Hubei Province in implementing new projects in order to contribute more to achieving sustainable development and protecting the ecological environment and so on.

It is said that the loan has been utilized in construction of Tianchihe River cascade hydropower station in Wufeng County and Guanyintang power station and renovation of the stations in the Huangbaihe Rive Basin.