China has started the construction of the world's biggest hydropower dam in Tibet, a project estimated to cost 1.2 trillion Yuan.
The mega-dam on the Yarlung Zangbo River (also known as the Brahmaputra), located in the foothills of the Himalayas, will feature five hydropower stations on the river that flow further downstream into India and Bangladesh.
According to China’s Xinhua state news agency, the project’s foundation stone was laid by Premier Li Qiang on Saturday, July 20, 2025.
The electricity generated via the dam being built will meet local power demands and it will also be transmitted to other regions for consumption.
The project, planned for several years, was given approval in December 2024, despite India raising concerns.
Beijing has linked the construction of the dam to the country’s carbon neutrality targets and economic goals in the region.
Tibet was annexed by China in 1950 and since then it has built multiple dams in the region.
According to Yale’s E360 environmental magazine, Tibet’s vast glaciers and major rivers provide fresh water to 1.3 billion people in 10 countries.
In December 2024, the Chinese Foreign Affairs ministry dismissed all claims of negative impacts of the project on downstream countries, stating, “We will maintain communication with countries at the lower reaches.”
