Massive Project Set to Triple Capacity of Three Gorges Dam
China has approved the construction of the world’s largest hydropower dam on the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet, marking the beginning of an ambitious project with far-reaching implications for the region. The dam, located in the lower reaches of the river, is estimated to produce 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually—more than triple the capacity of the current world leader, the Three Gorges Dam in central China, which generates 88.2 billion kWh.
The new project is set to play a crucial role in China’s push towards carbon peaking and achieving carbon neutrality, while also boosting related industries such as engineering and creating job opportunities in Tibet. However, the ambitious scale of the dam comes with unique engineering challenges, particularly in the steep and dramatic section of the Yarlung Zangbo, where the river drops 2,000 meters in a short 50 km stretch.
While the cost of the dam is expected to exceed the Three Gorges Dam’s $34.83 billion price tag, officials have yet to clarify how many people may be displaced or the potential environmental impacts on the rich local ecosystem. However, Chinese authorities claim the environmental effects will be minimal, asserting that hydropower projects in Tibet, home to over a third of China’s hydroelectric power potential, will not significantly affect the environment or water supplies downstream.
Nonetheless, neighboring countries India and Bangladesh have expressed concerns over the dam’s impact, fearing it could alter the river’s flow and ecology, as the Yarlung Zangbo turns into the Brahmaputra River after it leaves Tibet and flows through India and Bangladesh. China has already begun hydropower generation in the upper reaches of the river and is planning further projects upstream.
