 The government estimated that the Three Gorges Dam project would cost 180 billion yuan ( US $ 22 @.@ 5 billion ) . By the end of 2008 , spending had reached 148 @.@ 365 billion yuan , among which 64 @.@ 613 billion yuan was spent on construction , 68 @.@ 557 billion yuan on relocating affected residents , and 15 @.@ 195 billion yuan on financing . It is estimated that the construction cost will be recovered when the dam has generated 1 @,@ 000 terawatt @-@ hours ( 3 @,@ 600 PJ ) of electricity , yielding 250 billion yuan . Full cost recovery is expected to occur ten years after the dam starts full operation . 
