China has approved the construction of what will become the world’s largest hydropower dam on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet. The Yarlung Tsangpo Dam promises to significantly impact the region.
The dam is expected to generate three times more electricity than the current record-holder, the Three Gorges Dam. While Chinese officials praise the project as a major step toward clean energy and local development, critics warn of serious risks to the environment and the people living in the area.
Chinese state media described the dam as a “safe project that prioritizes ecological protection.” Officials claim it will boost local prosperity and support Beijing’s goal of becoming carbon-neutral. However, environmental groups and human rights activists have raised alarms about the possible displacement of local communities and the damage to Tibet’s unique natural ecosystems. The construction of the Yarlung Tsangpo Dam represents a significant environmental concern.
These ecosystems are among the richest and most diverse in the Tibetan Plateau, and altering the river’s flow could significantly impact them.
The Yarlung Tsangpo River flows through the world’s deepest canyon, dropping over 2,000 meters in just 50 kilometers. This gives it enormous potential for generating electricity but also creates significant engineering challenges.
The dam’s construction will require at least four 20-kilometer-long tunnels to be drilled through the Namcha Barwa mountain, and experts have flagged concerns about landslides and earthquakes in the area. The site is located on an earthquake-prone tectonic plate boundary, where such risks could increase due to extensive excavation and construction. Such risks could be exacerbated by the construction of the Yarlung Tsangpo Dam.
Since China annexed Tibet in the 1950s, the region has seen many large-scale projects that activists argue exploit its resources without benefiting its people. Protests against these projects are rare due to strict government control, but earlier this year, Tibetans opposed another dam project, the Gangtuo hydropower plant. These protests ended in mass arrests and beatings, with some people seriously injured. Local resistance may also challenge the Yarlung Tsangpo Dam.
The Gangtuo dam was set to submerge several villages and ancient monasteries with sacred relics. Chinese authorities claimed they relocated and compensated locals and moved important murals to safer locations, but activists remain skeptical.
The Yarlung Tsangpo project is part of China’s broader push to harness renewable energy, but its scale and location have raised international concerns. The river flows into India’s Arunachal Pradesh and Assam states before continuing to Bangladesh, making it a critical water source for millions of people downstream. A report by the Lowy Institute warned that controlling rivers in Tibet gives China a “chokehold” on India’s economy. After China announced the project in 2020, India responded by exploring the construction of its own large dam to counteract the potential impacts of the Yarlung Tsangpo Dam.
Chinese authorities maintain that they have a “legitimate right” to develop the river and claim they have considered downstream effects. However, they have not disclosed how many people the Yarlung Tsangpo Dam will displace or how they plan to address environmental risks. The Three Gorges Dam, in comparison, required the relocation of 1.4 million people.
The dam is estimated to cost as much as a trillion yuan ($127 billion) and is China’s most ambitious hydropower project to date. Despite its promises of clean energy and economic benefits, critics argue that the risks to people, ecosystems, and regional stability are too great to ignore. Proponents and detractors alike are closely watching the Yarlung Tsangpo Dam.
According to a publication by the BBC, protests against hydropower projects in Tibet are not new and often result in harsh crackdowns by authorities. The report highlights how earlier this year, Tibetans opposing the Gangtuo dam faced mass arrests and violent responses, raising questions about the treatment of local communities during such developments. Similar controversies are expected to surround the Yarlung Tsangpo Dam.
