China on Saturday officially commenced construction of a massive hydropower project valued at USD 167.8 billion on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet, near the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced the start of the project during a groundbreaking ceremony held in Nyingchi City, located in the lower reaches of the river, which is locally known as the Yarlung Zangbo.
Approved in December last year, the project is being hailed as the largest infrastructure development of its kind globally. The massive hydropower complex will consist of five cascade power stations, with a total investment estimated at 1.2 trillion yuan (approximately USD 167.8 billion).
Once completed, the facility is expected to generate more than 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, which is enough to power over 300 million people.
The hydropower station will be constructed at a major gorge in the Himalayas where the Brahmaputra makes a dramatic U-turn before flowing into Arunachal Pradesh and eventually into Bangladesh.
This ambitious undertaking has raised concerns in India and Bangladesh, both of which are downstream countries. The location is particularly sensitive due to its proximity to the India-China border and its placement along an active tectonic boundary known for seismic activity.
India’s foreign ministry has previously urged China to ensure that its upstream activities do not negatively affect the interests of downstream nations. In response, Beijing stated that the dam would not cause any “negative impact” and affirmed its commitment to ongoing communication with lower riparian countries.
Earlier this month, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu also warned that China’s mega-dam near the border poses a serious threat, calling it a “ticking water bomb.” He said it could endanger local tribes and livelihoods, and may be an even bigger concern than the military threat, as China “cannot be trusted” and could use the dam as a weapon.
Notably, India is also developing its own hydropower project on the Brahmaputra in Arunachal Pradesh as part of its regional infrastructure efforts.
India and China established the Expert Level Mechanism (ELM) in 2006 to discuss various issues related to trans-border rivers under which China provides India with hydrological information on the Brahmaputra river and Sutlej river during the flood seasons.
Data sharing of trans-border rivers figured in the talks between India, China Special Representatives (SRs) for border question, NSA Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, held here on December 18 last year.
Brahmaputra flows across the Tibetan Plateau, carving out the deepest canyon on Earth. The dam will be built in one of the rainiest parts.
