China has begun construction of the world s largest dam, or rather, the first super dam, which will be able to provide three times more energy than the world s largest Three Gorges Dam, currently located in China.
This super dam will be built on the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet, which flows into India and is called the Brahmaputra.
The dam is expected to cost $167.8 billion to build, making it the most expensive construction project on Earth.
Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang attended the groundbreaking ceremony of the dam, marking the start of its construction. The event took place at the Mailing Hydropower Station in Tibet.
According to Chinese media, this amazing project also includes 5 hydropower stations and the total cost will be more than 1200 billion Chinese yuan or 167 billion dollars.
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When the construction of this dam is completed, the power stations will be able to generate more than 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, which will be enough to meet the needs of more than 300 million people.
The Yarlung Zangbo River flows through the world s deepest gorge in the Tibetan Plateau and from there reaches India, where it is known as the Brahmaputra. Passing through the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Assam, this river reaches Bangladesh and empties into the Bay of Bengal.
China will build the dam in a place where there is a lot of rainfall. This dam project was first announced in the 2021 5-year plan when it was declared a super dam. Its construction was approved in December 2024 and construction work has now begun. The construction of such a large project will be fraught with technical and other challenges.
To generate hydropower from the river, 4 to 6 tunnels, 20 kilometers long, will have to be drilled into the Namcha Barwa Mountain to divert 50 percent of the river s flow.
In addition, the project location is also on the border of a continental plate where earthquakes are likely. But when the project was approved in December 2024, it was stated that geological protection would be prioritized in the dam project. At the time, it was said that a safe and solid foundation based on science for the project would be laid through the latest technology and geological research.
It is not yet clear when the construction of this dam will be completed. It should be noted that there is no agreement between China, India, and Bangladesh regarding the sharing of the waters of this river. But India is expressing fears about this project that China could use it to change the direction of the river s flow.