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China, with the most abundant hydro-electric resources in the world, has a potential hydro-electricity generating capacity exceeding 400 million kilowatts, said Gu Hongbin, an expert with the China Hydroelectricity Project Consulting Group on Saturday.

Gu made the remark at a high-level seminar on China's hydroelectricity development and environmental protection.

By the end of 2004, China's installed capacity of hydro-electric generators was 100 million kilowatts, only accounting for 24.6 percent of the total installed capacity in the country, Gu said.

The installed capacity of thermal-electric generators by the end of 2004 reached 320 million kilowatts, accounting for 73.7 percent of the total, according to Gu.

As most of China's power plants are thermal-powered, which heavily pollute the environment, the country needs to make all-out effort to develop renewable hydroelectric resources so as to meet the domestic demand of electric power, he said.

Figures show that hydroelectricity accounts for 63.3 percent of the total power consumption in Norway, and 38.6 percent in Brazil.

The installed capacity of hydro-electric generators will reach 165 million kilowatts in five years, and 250 million kilowatts by 2020, 26.3 percent of the total expected installed capacity, according to estimates.