The Chinese government has approved the start of a large-scale hydroelectric project on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, according to the Xinhua news agency.
The project involves the construction of the world’s largest dam, with a total cost of $137 billion, making it one of the most expensive infrastructure projects in history. It is also expected to boost China’s economic growth. However, the project may lead to tensions between China and India, as the river flows through the disputed Arunachal Pradesh region and drains into one of India’s major rivers.
According to David Fishman, a senior manager at the Shanghai-based consulting firm Lantau Group, the dam’s construction will take at least ten years, and connecting it to the power grid will require infrastructure on the eastern side of the country, as Tibet does not need such large-scale energy supply.
Hydropower is the second-largest source of electricity generation in China, accounting for nearly 14% of the total energy produced last year, according to BloombergNEF. However, the development of this energy source is slowing compared to others. Due to global warming, China has experienced prolonged droughts, leading to reduced hydroelectric power generation and energy shortages in water-rich provinces such as Sichuan and Yunnan.
