China Approves Construction of World's Largest Hydropower Dam in Tibet
The $137 billion project on the Yarlung Tsangpo River is expected to generate unprecedented energy but raises environmental and geopolitical concerns.
- The dam, located in Tibet's Yarlung Tsangpo River, will generate nearly 300 billion kWh of electricity annually, three times the output of the Three Gorges Dam.
- China asserts the project will aid clean energy goals and address climate change, with measures in place to ensure environmental protection and safety.
- India and Bangladesh have expressed concerns over potential impacts on water flow and downstream regions, with India particularly wary due to the dam's proximity to contested borders.
- The project, estimated to cost over $137 billion, is one of the largest infrastructure undertakings globally and will require at least a decade to complete.
- Environmentalists and experts warn about risks to the fragile Himalayan ecosystem and the challenges posed by the dam's location near a tectonic plate boundary.