DALIAN, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- China on Saturday began construction of the main body of a nuclear power station in Dalian, Liaoning province, the first nuclear power station in northeast China.

The Hongyanhe nuclear power station is designed to have six generating units of million-kilowatt class.

The first phase of the project consists of four generating units. The first unit, now being built, is expected to start commercial operation in 2012. It will be joined by the other three units in 2014, when annual electricity output of the station will reach 30 billion kwh.

The whole project will cost an estimated 50 billion yuan (6.6 billion U.S. dollars).