(Commonwealth_India) In the heart of Tibet, China has begun construction on what is believed to be the world’s largest hydropower dam. While Beijing hails the project as a clean energy milestone and a path to regional development, it’s sparking deep concern from neighbouring countries and those who live closest to the river that will be transformed by it.
The new dam, known as the Motuo Hydropower Station, is being built on the Yarlung Tsangpo River, which flows from the Tibetan Plateau down into India and Bangladesh, where it becomes the Siang, Brahmaputra, and Jamuna rivers. The structure, formally launched over the weekend in a ceremony joined by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, is part of a wider push by China to tap into Tibet’s vast hydropower potential and deliver electricity from the rural west to the bustling cities in the east.
The scale of the project is massive. When completed, it’s expected to surpass the iconic Three Gorges Dam, currently the largest in the world, and could generate three times as much energy. What are the estimated costs? The estimated cost is approximately 1.2 trillion yuan, which is equivalent to $167 billion.
However, the engineering ambition is belied by a plethora of concerns, particularly for the millions of people residing downstream. Specialists and political leaders in India and Bangladesh are concerned about the possible environmental and geopolitical consequences. With China holding the upstream position, critics argue it advances the power to regulate the water supply of the whole region below.
In India’s northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, which lies just south of the border with Tibet, Chief Minister Pema Khandu voiced fears about what the dam might mean for local communities. “The Siang and Brahmaputra could dry up considerably,” he warned, pointing to a risk of serious disruption for the region’s indigenous tribes. “It is quite serious because China could even use this as a sort of ‘water bomb’. Suppose the dam is built and they suddenly release water, our entire Siang belt would be destroyed. People, land, property, all gone.”
His words reflect wider anxieties in India’s political circles. Officials in Delhi have already raised concerns with Beijing, urging China to be transparent and consult downstream countries before making decisions that could affect millions. In response, India is proceeding with its hydropower project on the Siang River as a precautionary measure, aiming to mitigate the impact of any unexpected water releases or changes in river flow from China.
Bangladesh, too, has reached out to China for more details, concerned about how such a massive project upstream might affect its water supply and agriculture. So far, Chinese responses have pointed to the country’s “legitimate right” to build on its territory while claiming downstream effects have been considered.
The location chosen for the dam is both geographically dramatic and technically complex. It lies in what’s known as the Great Bend, where the Yarlung Tsangpo takes a sharp U-turn around the towering Namcha Barwa mountain, plunging hundreds of metres in elevation. Engineers plan to bore long tunnels, some as much as 20 km, to divert the river’s path and build a chain of five cascading power stations. Most of the electricity won’t stay in the region but will instead be sent eastward to feed China’s growing demand for power in its cities.
Beijing portrays the dam as part of a bigger push for clean energy and development, especially under President Xi Jinping’s “xidiandongsong” policy, literally, “sending western electricity east.” State media has pitched the project as a win-win: clean energy for the country and progress for Tibet.
But the local truth looks different to many Tibetans and ecological advocates. Past hydropower schemes in the district have generated forced replacements and violent clampdowns on dissent. Just last year, Chinese authorities arrested hundreds of Tibetans protesting against another dam. The authorities beat many of the protestors, causing serious injuries to some. Images and reports shared with foreign media showed the harsh consequences of pushing back.
Environmentalists also worry about the long-term risks. The gorges around the dam site are rich in biodiversity and prone to seismic activity. Blocking rivers in a district crisscrossed by tremor fault lines could bring hazards that outstrip the potential assistance.
For now, China is pushing forward, motivated by a mix of energy needs, tactical interests, and a longing to integrate Tibet more fully into the country’s economic plans. But as the concrete is dispensed and the channels are drilled, tension endures to ripple down the river, along with the anxiety that one country’s determinations could become another’s calamity.
