China Begins Construction of World’s Largest Hydropower Dam

China News Service/Getty Images

The dam is designed to harness the power of the Yarlung Tsangpo river.

Construction of the world’s biggest hydropower megadam has begun, China’s premier has said, calling it the “project of the century”.

The huge structure is being built on the Yarlung Tsangpo river, in Tibetan territory.

Li Qiang made the comments on Saturday, at a ceremony in the region to mark the start of the build, leading Chinese markets to rise on the expectation of the long-planned megaproject, first announced in 2020 as part of China’s 14th five-year plan.

The project announced by Li is planned for the lower reaches of the river, according to the official state news outlet, Xinhua. Xinhua reported that the project would consist of five cascade hydropower stations, producing an estimated 300 million megawatt hours of electricity annually at a cost of about 1.2tn yuan (£124bn).

In comparison, the Three Gorges dam cost 254.2bn yuan and generates 88.2m MWh.

No further details were given about timing or scope of construction, but the figures reported by Xinhua exceed estimates from 2020.

China, the world’s biggest carbon emitter, is operating a huge renewable energy expansion as it seeks to reach emissions reduction goals and stabilise its power supply. It has tens of thousands of hydropower projects, far more than any other country.

The Yarlung Tsangpo megadam will reportedly harness the power created by the river dropping 2km in about 50km as it winds through a canyon on a U-shaped bend.

India and Bangladesh have voiced concerns over the project, fearing the water could be held or diverted away from them.

Beijing has said the dam will help meet power demand in Tibet and the rest of China without having a major effect on downstream water supplies or the environment. Operations are expected sometime in the 2030s.

“China will continue to maintain current exchange channels with downstream nations and step up cooperation on disaster prevention and mitigation,” a foreign ministry spokesperson said in December.

Environmentalists have also expressed concern about wildlife in the region, as well as the significant tectonic shifting, severe landslides and extreme geography where the dam is expected to go.

The Chinese government rejects the criticism, and says the project will stimulate jobs in the region, increase domestic energy supplies and spur on development in the renewables sector. “Special emphasis must be placed on ecological conservation to prevent environmental damage,” Li said.




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