China begins construction of the world's largest dam on hydropower in Tibet

The official Xinhua News Agency reported that China's Premier Li Qiang had announced the start construction of what is estimated to be the largest hydropower project in the world. It will be located on the eastern rims of the Tibetan plateau, and the cost of this project is estimated at around $170 billion.

The project is part China's drive to expand renewable energy sources and reduce carbon emission.

The dam, which will consist of five cascades of hydropower stations and be located at the lower reaches Yarlung Zangbo River could have a major impact on millions of people in India and Bangladesh.

Li called the hydropower project a "project for the century", and stressed that "special emphasis must be placed on environmental conservation in order to prevent damage to the environment", Xinhua reported on Saturday.

The authorities have not stated how many people will be displaced by the Tibet project and how this will affect the local eco-system, which is one of the richest on the plateau.

According to Chinese officials however, hydropower in Tibet won't have any major impacts on the environment and downstream water supplies. India and Bangladesh are still concerned about the dam.

The International Campaign for Tibet, among other NGOs, says that the dam will irreversibly damage the Tibetan plateau. Millions of people living downstream will also face severe livelihood disruptions.

The dam will be able to produce 300 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year and should help to meet the local energy needs in Tibet and throughout China.

When the project was announced in December, Xinhua stated that it would play a significant role in helping China achieve its carbon neutrality and peaking goals. It will also stimulate industries like engineering and create jobs for Tibetans.

The Yarlung Zangbo has a section that drops 2,000 meters (6,561 ft) in a span of just 50 km (31 mi), which offers huge hydropower potential.

As it flows from Tibet, the Yarlung Zangbo river becomes the Brahmaputra as it enters India and flows into Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Bangladesh.

China has started to generate hydropower on the upper reaches Yarlung Zangbo which flows eastward from Tibet. (Reporting and editing by Himani Sarkar; Farah master)

(source: Reuters)