CHINA BEGINS CONSTRUCTION ON WORLD’S LARGEST HYDROPOWER DAM IN TIBET
China has officially commenced construction on what is set to become the world’s largest hydropower dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, a project that has sparked both national pride and international concern. The megastructure, being built near the town of Medog in the Tibet Autonomous Region, is expected to surpass the capacity of the Three Gorges Dam—currently the largest hydropower facility in the world—and generate over 70 gigawatts of electricity upon completion.
The announcement was made by China’s Ministry of Water Resources and the state-run PowerChina Corporation, which is leading the engineering and construction. Officials say the dam is a cornerstone of China’s long-term renewable energy strategy and a major step toward achieving its carbon neutrality goals by 2060. Once completed, the facility will provide clean energy to millions, reduce reliance on coal, and help stabilize power grids across southwestern China.
However, the project has already generated a wave of controversy both domestically and internationally. Environmental groups, neighboring countries, and human rights advocates have voiced concerns about the dam’s potential impact on biodiversity, seismic safety, water security, and the displacement of local communities, especially indigenous Tibetan populations.
The Yarlung Tsangpo River, which becomes the Brahmaputra once it enters India, is one of Asia’s major transboundary rivers. It flows through Tibet into northeastern India and eventually into Bangladesh, supporting the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people. Both India and Bangladesh have expressed concern over China’s unilateral construction of large-scale infrastructure on an international waterway, citing potential downstream impacts, reduced water flow, and ecological imbalance.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement urging China to maintain transparency and engage in meaningful dialogue with all riparian states. “Cooperation, not unilateral action, must guide the management of shared water resources,” it said.
In Tibet, where the project is located, local communities and rights organizations fear forced displacement, cultural erosion, and environmental degradation. The region is seismically active, and critics worry that such a massive dam could pose serious risks in the event of an earthquake or landslide. Some Tibetan advocacy groups have called the project “ecological aggression” and condemned what they say is a lack of local consultation.
China, however, insists the project is being carried out with strict environmental safeguards and will bring economic development to the remote region. State media has portrayed the dam as a symbol of technological prowess and a vital element in Beijing’s ambitious “West-to-East Power Transmission” initiative, which aims to move clean energy from resource-rich western regions to the industrialized east.
Despite the controversy, construction is moving forward at a rapid pace, with Chinese engineers employing cutting-edge technology to overcome the challenges posed by the rugged Himalayan terrain. The project is expected to take at least a decade to complete, with phased construction to ensure structural stability and environmental monitoring.
As the world’s largest hydropower dam rises in the fragile ecosystem of the Tibetan Plateau, the global community watches closely, weighing its promise of renewable energy against the profound environmental and geopolitical implications it may bring.