China has announced plans to build the world’s largest hydropower dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, aiming to produce an estimated 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. This output would significantly surpass that of the Three Gorges Dam, currently the largest hydropower facility globally. The project is a cornerstone of China’s efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 while also boosting local economic development. It promises to generate employment and foster industrial growth in the Tibetan region, highlighting the dual goals of clean energy production and regional economic advancement.
Despite its ambitious scale, the project has sparked environmental and geopolitical concerns. The dam’s construction may disrupt fragile ecosystems in Tibet and alter water flows downstream, impacting countries like India and Bangladesh, where the Yarlung Tsangpo becomes the Brahmaputra River. The geopolitical sensitivity of the river system has raised alarm among neighboring nations, particularly regarding potential water shortages and ecological changes. With costs projected to exceed the 254.2 billion yuan spent on the Three Gorges Dam, the venture represents not only a technical and financial challenge but also a complex international issue. More