China has officially launched construction of the world’s largest dam project, a $167.8 billion initiative on the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet, near the Indian border with Arunachal Pradesh, according to state-run Xinhua news agency. The river, known as the Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and the Brahmaputra in Assam, India, is central to a hydropower initiative that has raised concerns among downstream nations, including India and Bangladesh.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang inaugurated the project at a groundbreaking ceremony held at the Mainling hydropower station site in Nyingchi City, within the Tibet Autonomous Region, which China refers to as Xizang. The ceremony was attended by representatives from the National Development and Reform Commission, the Power Construction Corporation of China, and local residents.
The project, described as the world’s largest infrastructure undertaking, involves five cascade hydropower stations with a total investment of approximately 1.2 trillion Yuan ($167.8 billion). Once operational, the hydropower station is expected to generate over 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, capable of meeting the power needs of more than 300 million people. The electricity will primarily be supplied to external regions while also supporting local demand in Tibet.
The ambitious initiative has sparked significant concern in downstream riparian states, particularly in India’s Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, as well as Bangladesh, due to potential impacts on water flow and regional ecosystems.
