BEIJING 7/6/12 (PennWell) -- The last turbine of China's 22,500 MW Three Gorges hydroelectric project has been connected to the country's grid, marking one of the final steps for the US$50 billion project that began in 1994.

The generating unit -- No. 32 for the massive project -- added 700 MW to the total generating capacity. Chinese officials say the output translates to 11% of the country's total supply.

The project has been a subject of controversy since its inception due to the 1.3 million residents displaced by its 600 km-long reservoir and possible geological impact, although HydroWorld.com reported in September 2011 that China's Academy of Social Sciences found no correlation between Three Gorges and climatic changes.

The Three Gorges project is located on the Yangtze River in Hubei province.