The regional Development Planning Commission in southwestern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has given its approval to the construction of the planned Honghua hydroelectric power station, according to the Interfax news agency.

The plant will be constructed on the region’s Liu river at a total cost of US$216M, all of which will be funded by the Guangdong Meiyan Group Company.

Construction work will start in September 2003 and the plant will have an installed capacity of 230,000kW.