China scraps plans for controversial dam

BEIJING, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- The Chinese government has decided not to move forward with much-criticized plans to build a new dam in Yunnan Province.

With the project facing opposition for potentially submerging a major tourist locale and forcing the relocation of 100,000 residents, government officials have abandoned the Tiger Leaping Gorge plans, The Guardian reported Saturday.

While the dam project will not take place at the gorge as originally planned, government officials are now reportedly targeting areas upstream, the British newspaper reported.

The numerous dam projects planned for the region are part of a government effort to create alternative energy sources for the energy-poor area, as well as neighboring Burma and Vietnam.

Despite such claims from government officials, opponents have alleged the dam construction plans are being driven by power companies' profits and not for the betterment of the province.

The Guardian said China has been struggling to meet its growing power needs since 2004, when a series of power outages prompted the creation of a capacity expansion program.