China Plans to Build World’s Largest Hydropower Dam in Tibet

The world’s largest dam, which will span the holy Yarlung Tsangpo River in the Tibet autonomous area, will be the site of a major hydroelectric power facility that has been approved by the Chinese government. When completed, the power plant will produce three times as much energy as the one above the Three Gorges Dam, which is now the biggest hydropower project in the world.

China has been putting a lot of effort into lowering its reliance on fossil fuels in anticipation of the 2060 deadline for achieving net zero emissions. In addition to emphasising the drive for nuclear power plants to produce carbon-free energy, Interesting Engineering has previously covered the numerous wind and solar energy projects that have begun in recent months.

When the Three Gorges Dam, the largest dam in the world, was finished in 2008, China’s aspirations for hydroelectric power were already clear. Since its inception in 2012, power generating has provided renewable energy to more than five million households each month.

China’s next project, however, is so ambitious that, when completed, it would have three times the power generation capacity of the Three Gorges Dam facility.

Tibet’s large-scale hydroelectric project

This massive hydroelectric project is being planned by China to span the Tibetan plateau and the Yarlung Tsangpo River. At 25,154 feet (7,667 meters) vertically, the world’s deepest canyon is found in the holy river. This will be exploited by the Chinese government, which plans to use the project to produce around 300 billion kWh of hydropower annually, enough to supply 300 million people’s energy demands.

The river drops 6,561 feet (2,000 meters) vertically over 31 miles (50 kilometers) in its lower stages. As previously stated by authorities on the project site, this alone has the ability to produce 70 million kilowatts of electricity.

But in order to capture this energy, China will need to build tunnels in the Namcha Barwa mountain that are 2.5–12.5 miles (4–20 km) long. These tunnels will redirect half of the river’s flow at a rate of roughly 2,000 cubic meters per second.

With a budget of one trillion yuan (US$137 billion), the project is the most ambitious infrastructure project ever planned for the world.

Opportunities and hazards

Large-scale projects always carry some risk, but this mega power project will be located near a tectonic plate boundary, leaving it vulnerable to future earthquakes. It is a challenging undertaking to complete because the geology is different from that of the plains.

According to a South China Morning Post report, the project’s builders intend to employ information from in-depth geological investigations and technology advancements to guarantee that building is supported by science and of the greatest quality.

The project will also increase China’s output of renewable energy and provide a chance to build other wind and solar energy projects nearby. The SCMP report also stated that ecological protection should be given top priority.

Details about the project’s precise location and the anticipated start date of construction have not yet been made public.