China Breaks Ground On Massive Hydropower Project

Construction has commenced on a colossal hydroelectric facility in Tibet by China, set to become the most powerful dam globally, a development that has triggered unease in India and Bangladesh over water security and ecological impact.

Premier Li Qiang officially launched the project on Saturday during a visit to the Yarlung Tsangpo river, which winds through the Tibetan Plateau before crossing into South Asia.

The initiative, situated in a geopolitically sensitive region, has drawn backlash due to fears that it may affect the livelihoods of millions living downstream and potentially harm the local ecosystem and Tibetan communities.

Chinese officials maintain that the dam’s construction will emphasize environmental preservation while also fostering economic growth in the surrounding area.

Once completed, the Motuo Hydropower Station—carrying a price tag of roughly $1.67 billion—is expected to eclipse the Three Gorges Dam in scale, generating energy output three times higher than its predecessor.

Analysts warn that the structure could allow Beijing greater control over the transboundary Yarlung Tsangpo, which feeds key river systems in India’s Arunachal Pradesh and Assam states, eventually flowing into Bangladesh.

A past report from 2020 stated that “control over these rivers [in the Tibetan Plateau] effectively gives China a chokehold on India’s economy.”

Concerns have also emerged from local leaders. In a recent interview, Arunachal Pradesh’s chief minister Pema Khandu warned that “the Siang and Brahmaputra could ‘dry up considerably’ once the dam was completed.”

He went on to say the project “is going to cause an existential threat to our tribes and our livelihoods. It is quite serious because China could even use this as a sort of ‘water bomb’.”

“Suppose the dam is built and they suddenly release water, our entire Siang belt would be destroyed,” he said. “In particular, the Adi tribe and similar groups… would see all their property, land, and especially human life, suffer devastating effects.”

India’s external affairs ministry had earlier relayed its disapproval to China regarding large-scale dam projects, urging them to “ensure the interests of downstream states” and stressing the “need for transparency and consultation with downstream countries.”

As a countermeasure, India is working on its own dam along the Siang River to mitigate any potential flooding from China’s side.

Beijing’s foreign ministry had responded in 2020, insisting that China had a “legitimate right” to pursue hydropower development and had taken downstream consequences into account.

Bangladesh has also sought clarity on the implications of the project, with officials reportedly reaching out to Beijing for further details earlier this year.

The selected dam site, located in Tibet’s remote terrain, lies within a vast gorge known for being both the deepest and longest land canyon. Here, the river curves sharply around the Namcha Barwa mountain, a geological feature referred to as “the Great Bend.” At this point, the river’s elevation plunges significantly.

Earlier plans outlined the excavation of multiple 20-kilometre tunnels through the Namcha Barwa range to divert water for the facility.

Over the weekend, a report mentioned that engineers would implement “straightening” work and ‘divert water through tunnels’ to build five cascading power stations.”

The electricity generated is expected to be exported to other regions of China, although some supply will remain to support local demand in Tibet.

China’s pursuit of energy in the country’s less-developed western regions is part of a national agenda to harness resources from Tibet to meet the needs of energy-intensive cities in the east—a policy known as “xidiandongsong”, or “sending western electricity eastwards.”

Chinese authorities describe the initiative as an eco-friendly way to reduce carbon emissions and provide economic benefits to Tibetans.

However, critics argue that the project represents a broader pattern of resource exploitation in the region. Past demonstrations by Tibetan residents against similar projects have often met with harsh crackdowns.

Last year, authorities detained numerous Tibetan protesters opposing another dam. Reports confirmed that arrests and beatings occurred, leaving several injured.

Environmentalists also warn that flooding in Tibet’s biologically rich valleys and the risks associated with constructing dams in earthquake-prone zones remain major causes for concern.