China begins construction of controversial mega dam in Tibet

Controversial energy project in Tibet

China begins construction of the world’s largest dam

The largest hydropower plant in the world is being built in Tibet. China sees this a climate project, but the adjacent countries fear serious consequences.

China started building a huge dam at the Yarlung Tsangpo in south Tibet. The symbolic groundbreaking ceremony for the controversial mega project took place in the city of Nyingchi on Saturday. As the Chinese news agency Xinhua reported, Prime Minister Li Qiang also took part in the ceremony. According to Beijing, the planned dam is to become the largest hydropower plant in the world and exceed the previous record holder, the three-gorge dam. The project is part of the 14th five -year plan of the Chinese government and was officially approved in December 2023.

The Chinese government argues that the dam is a contribution to climate protection. Five cascaded power plants, i.e. powered power plants along a river, are planned with an annual capacity of 300 billion kilowatt hours. This corresponds to the triple capacity of the three-gorge dam. They are supposed to deliver electricity to different regions of China, including within the autonomous region of Tibet. According to official information, the construction costs are around 143.6 billion euros. The project sponsor is the newly founded China Yajiang Group.

The Yarlung Tsangpo flows from Himalaya in Tibet to India to Bangladesh, where it flows into the Gulf of Bengal. In India it is called Brahmaputra. Because China builds the water at the upper reaches, critics warn of considerable effects for the neighboring countries downstream.

The Indian government in New Delhi fears impairments of its own water and food security and asked China to respect the interests of the neighboring countries in January. If the project has negative consequences, “measures to protect our interests will be taken,” said the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In order to secure its own water rights, India also drives its own dam projects in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh – an area that is controlled by India but is claimed by China as part of South Tibet.

In addition to the geopolitical tensions, environmental organizations and experts also express significant criticism. The dam project threatens sensitive ecosystems in Himalaya and can lead to the expulsion of residents through the build -up of entire areas. In addition, there is the location in a seismic active area: with earthquakes there is a risk of serious damage up to a dam break.

China, on the other hand, emphasizes that the construction project has been scientifically examined and does not represent a danger to the environment, water rights or geological stability. According to the Foreign Ministry, the dam could contribute to disaster prevention and support adaptation to climate change.

The construction of the dam was first publicly mentioned in 2020 as part of the national hydropower strategy. The planning was approved in December 2023. It is currently planned that the dam is built in several stages. It is the largest hydropower project worldwide.