China's Mega Dam Project: A Hydropower Giant on the Tibetan Plateau
China has greenlit the construction of the world's largest hydropower dam on the Tibetan plateau's eastern rim. Expected to generate 300 billion kWh annually, the project will surpass the capacity of the Three Gorges Dam and potentially impact downstream regions of India and Bangladesh, raising ecological concerns.
- Country:
- China
China is set to construct the world's most extensive hydropower dam, marking a significant initiative on the Tibetan plateau's eastern edge. This ambitious project, positioned on the lower stretches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, aims to generate 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
The proposed dam's output would significantly surpass the Three Gorges Dam, currently the largest in the world. The Chinese state media highlighted the project as crucial to the nation's carbon goals and a catalyst for economic activity, particularly in engineering and job creation in Tibet.
While authorities remain silent on how the dam might affect local displacement and ecosystems, concerns loom in India and Bangladesh over potential ecological and hydrological impacts. The Yarlung Zangbo River becomes the Brahmaputra as it flows south into India and further into Bangladesh, making any changes substantial for downstream populations.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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