China has announced that it will build the world’s largest hydropower dam on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet. This dam will be constructed in the lower part of the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet, where the Brahmaputra River makes a sharp U-turn as it enters Arunachal Pradesh, India, in the Himalaya region.
China’s new dam might change the earth’s system. The announcement was made through China’s government news agency Xinhua. According to the report, China will build the dam on the lower part of the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet, which will be larger than any existing project globally. The project will cost an estimated 137 billion dollars, approximately 12 lakh crore rupees. Once completed, the dam will generate about 300 billion kilowatts of electricity annually, enough to meet the yearly electricity needs of China’s 300 million population.
Three Gorges Dam which is currently the largest in the world located in China. However, if the new dam on the Brahmaputra is completed as planned, it will surpass the Three Gorges Dam in terms of capacity. This means China will again build the world’s biggest dam. The new dam’s estimated capacity is 60 GW, which will be more than the capacity of the Three Gorges Dam, making it the largest hydropower project in the world.
Will this dam affect the Environment ?
The cost of the Three Gorges Dam was initially estimated at 57 billion yuan. After its completion, the actual cost was found to be four times higher. Officials have not disclosed how many people will be displaced by the Tibet project or what impact it will have on the local ecosystem. It is being said that this hydropower project in Tibet will meet one-third of China’s electricity needs, but at the same time, it will have serious consequences on the environment and the river’s flow.
China building this massive dam in Tibet where the river water drops 2,000 meters within just 50 km. The goal is to generate 300 billion kWh of electricity annually. This output will exceed the current Three Gorges Dam’s 88.2 billion kWh capacity. China’s Foreign Ministry has stated that safety and environmental measures will be in place, and that communication with neighboring countries and disaster management collaboration will continue.
India’s tension over the dam
The dam China plans to build will have the ability to store a large amount of water. Once the dam is constructed, China will have control over the river’s flow. This means that once the river enters India, the amount of water released will depend entirely on China. If China releases less water, it could create a water crisis for both India and Bangladesh. Conversely, if China releases more water, it could lead to dangerous floods.
What Can impact India:
- Diversion of the River: The dam will be built on the Brahmaputra River, which turns towards Arunachal Pradesh. This may cause water supply problems for India.
- China’s Biggest Project: The dam is part of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan and could become the country’s biggest infrastructure project.
- Cost of the Project: The estimated cost of the project is 137 billion dollars, making it the world’s largest infrastructure project.
- Lack of Transparency: China has not disclosed sufficient details about the project, which always concern India.
- Water Crisis: The potential for sudden floods due to this dam could disrupt the water supply in India.
- Dependence on China: If the dam is built, India may become dependent on China for water, giving China an opportunity to exert pressure.
- Control Over the River: With the dam, China will control the river’s water, which could result in water shortages in downstream areas.
- Geopolitical Tensions: The project could increase tensions between India and China and possibly lead to a water conflict.
- Regional Threats: In the event of a conflict, China could control the flow of water from the dam, potentially flooding border areas.
China has stated that the dam on the Brahmaputra will not affect the downstream regions. The country claims it has always taken responsibility for the development of cross-border rivers. China’s hydropower project on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River aims to promote clean energy, address climate change, and manage extreme hydrological disasters. Decades of research and environmental protection measures have been undertaken to ensure the project’s sustainability, according to Chinese officials.
