Beijing: China's Premier Li Qiang announced that construction has commenced on what is set to become the world's largest hydropower dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo river, located at the eastern rim of the Tibetan Plateau. The announcement was made during a ceremony on Saturday, as reported by the Chinese media. However, the planned dam has sparked concerns from India, Bangladesh, and several NGOs.
According to Deutsche Welle, the electricity generated by the dam will be primarily transmitted to other regions for consumption, while also addressing local power needs in Tibet, as reported by state media. The dam is expected to consist of five cascade hydropower stations with the capacity to produce 300 billion kilowatt hours of electricity each year, an amount equivalent to the annual consumption of the UK.
As the Yarlung Tsangpo flows southward, it transforms into the Brahmaputra River in India and Bangladesh, serving as a crucial water source and agricultural lifeline for millions. Both countries have expressed concerns regarding the dam's potential impact on the people living downstream. NGOs have also warned about the risks of irreversible damage to the ecologically sensitive plateau.
In January, India’s Foreign Ministry voiced its concerns to China, emphasizing that it would "monitor and take necessary measures to protect our interests." The ministry underscored that China has been "urged to ensure that the interests of the downstream states of the Brahmaputra are not harmed by activities in upstream areas." A 2020 report by the Lowry Institute, an Australian think tank, highlighted that "control over these rivers gives China a stranglehold on the Indian economy."
Chinese authorities have yet to disclose how many people might be displaced due to the construction of the Yarlung project. In December, China’s Foreign Ministry asserted that the project would not have any "negative impact" downstream and assured that Beijing "will also maintain communication with countries at the lower reaches" of the river.
This situation is not unprecedented, as geopolitical issues have previously arisen from rivers crossing international borders. The Yarlung Tsangpo dam is projected to become operational in the 2030s.