With an estimated output of 300 TWh annually, China's ambitious hydroelectric project on the Yarlung Zangbo River sparks both awe and concern.
Approval of the Yarlung Tsangpo Gorge Hydroelectric Project
On December 25, 2024, China’s state news agency Xinhua announced the government’s approval of a monumental hydroelectric project on the lower stretch of the Yarlung Zangbo River. Set to become the largest dam in the world, the project promises an annual energy output of 300 TWh, alongside an investment of over 127 billion USD (approximately 1 trillion yuan), making it one of the costliest energy infrastructures ever proposed.
While China has a long history of mega infrastructure projects, including the iconic Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River, such endeavors are not without controversy. The Three Gorges Dam, currently the second-largest hydroelectric dam in the world but the most powerful (22.5 GW), has underscored the socio-environmental costs of such developments. Its construction displaced 1.4 million residents and submerged countless villages and towns.
What We Know About the New Project
Details about the new dam are sparse, but it is slated for construction on the lower Yarlung Zangbo River, Tibet’s largest river and the world’s highest-altitude waterway. As it flows south into India, it becomes the Brahmaputra River before continuing into Bangladesh. The chosen location includes the dramatic Yarlung Tsangpo Gorge, an area declared a national park by the Chinese government but now earmarked for this ambitious project. The gorge features a staggering elevation drop of 7,667 meters from its Tibetan highlands to India.
Preliminary estimates suggest the dam could generate two to three times the energy of the Three Gorges Dam. However, such a massive undertaking raises concerns about its ecological and social impacts. Chinese officials have pledged to prioritize environmental protection, insisting the project will have minimal downstream effects. Yet, it’s undeniable that the dam would allow Beijing to regulate, or even redirect, the river’s flow.
Concerns and Geopolitical Tensions
The project has alarmed neighboring countries. Both India and Bangladesh, which rely heavily on the Brahmaputra for agriculture and water resources, have expressed significant concern. The announcement has drawn criticism from neighboring India and Bangladesh, both of which depend heavily on the Brahmaputra for agriculture and water resources. Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated during a weekly press briefing, as reported by Reuters:
“The Chinese side has been urged to ensure that the interests of the downstream states of the Brahmaputra are not harmed by activities in the upstream areas.”
Seismic activity in the area is another critical concern. The dam’s proposed site is near an active tectonic plate, raising safety questions. Chinese officials maintain that extensive geological surveys have been conducted and claim the project can be executed safely. However, no construction timeline has been released, leaving the project’s future uncertain.
While the Yarlung Zangbo hydroelectric dam has the potential to revolutionize energy generation in China, its broader implications—environmental, social, and geopolitical—cannot be ignored. As the world watches this ambitious project unfold, it remains to be seen how Beijing will address the myriad challenges associated with the world’s largest hydroelectric dam.
