The dam will be situated in the lower stretches of the Yarlung Zangbo River and has the potential to generate 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, as estimated by the Power Construction Corp of China in 2020.
This capacity would surpass the 88.2 billion kWh output of the current largest dam in the world, the Three Gorges Dam in central China.
The initiative is expected to play a crucial role in helping China achieve its carbon peak and carbon neutrality objectives, boost related industries like engineering, and create employment opportunities in Tibet, as per reports by the official Xinhua news agency.
A part of the Yarlung Zangbo experiences a significant 2000-meter drop over a mere 50km, presenting substantial hydropower potential alongside distinct engineering hurdles.
The total expenditure for constructing the dam, encompassing engineering expenses, is projected to surpass that of the Three Gorges Dam, which amounted to 254.2 billion yuan ($US34.83 billion). This figure included the resettlement of 1.4 million displaced individuals and was over four times the initial estimate of 57 billion yuan.
Authorities have not disclosed the number of people who will be displaced by the Tibet project or its potential impact on the local ecosystem, which is among the most diverse and abundant on the plateau.
Despite assurances from Chinese officials that hydropower undertakings in Tibet, which they claim hold over a third of China’s hydroelectric power potential, will not significantly harm the environment or downstream water supplies, concerns have been raised by India and Bangladesh regarding the dam.
The project could not only change the local ecology but also alter the flow and path of the river as it moves downstream. The Yarlung Zangbo transitions into the Brahmaputra river upon exiting Tibet, flowing south into India’s Arunachal Pradesh and Assam regions before reaching Bangladesh.
China has already initiated hydropower production on the upper segments of the Yarlung Zangbo, which runs from the western to the eastern areas of Tibet. Additional projects are in the planning stages upstream.
