China has approved the construction of what is set to become the world’s largest hydropower dam, a monumental project on the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateau. This initiative could significantly impact millions living downstream in India and Bangladesh.
Planned for the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, the dam is projected to generate a staggering 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, according to estimates by the Power Construction Corporation of China in 2020.
This figure dwarfs the capacity of the Three Gorges Dam—currently the world’s largest—which produces 88.2 billion kWh annually.
Project in conjunction with China green goals
The project is anticipated to be a cornerstone in achieving China’s carbon peaking and neutrality goals. Additionally, it is expected to boost industries such as engineering and create employment opportunities in Tibet, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
The Yarlung Zangbo features a dramatic 2,000-meter drop over a mere 50 kilometers, presenting both immense hydropower potential and significant engineering challenges.
The construction costs for the dam, including engineering expenditures, are likely to surpass those of the Three Gorges Dam, which cost 254.2 billion yuan (S$47.3 billion). This included the resettlement of 1.4 million displaced people, a figure that far exceeded initial estimates. However, authorities have yet to disclose the number of people who may be displaced by the Tibetan project or its ecological impact on one of the plateau’s most diverse ecosystems.
Despite assurances from Chinese officials that hydropower projects in Tibet—home to over one-third of China’s hydroelectric potential—will not significantly affect the environment or downstream water supplies, neighboring countries remain concerned.
India and Bangladesh, both downstream of the Yarlung Zangbo River, have expressed fears about potential disruptions to the river’s flow and ecology. As the river leaves Tibet, it becomes the Brahmaputra River, which flows through India’s Arunachal Pradesh and Assam states before reaching Bangladesh.
China has already begun hydropower generation on the upper stretches of the Yarlung Zangbo and plans additional projects further upstream. The new dam adds to the list of developments that could reshape the region’s ecological and geopolitical dynamics.
Construction ignites protest in a peaceful land of Tibet
However, news reports have surfaced about how hundreds of Tibetans are protesting against the construction.
Strikes and protest is an extremely rare sight in Tibet, as the region is heavily regulated by Chinese authorities.
The construction site is a rather sensitive site for the locals as it covers a significant religious site, and also homes to several villages and ancient monasteries which contain sacred relics.
One of them, the 700-year-old Wangdui Monastery, has particular historical value as its walls feature rare Buddhist murals.
Furthermore, the Gangtuo dam would also displace thousands of Tibetans.
More than hundred Tibetans have come forth to protest against the construction, which ended in a hash crackdown with some beaten and seriously injured.
While there is a lack of coverage of what is happening right now in Tibet, but there were still some satellite images and verified leaked videos that showed mass protest and monks begging the authorities for mercy.
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