China has officially begun construction of what is expected to be the world’s largest hydropower project in the Tibetan Himalayas, drawing concern from neighbouring countries and environmental experts. As reported by The Times UK, the controversial Nyingchi megadam—estimated to cost £120 billion—will dwarf China’s own Three Gorges Dam and produce more electricity than the UK consumes in an entire year.
Situated on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet—just miles from the Indian border—the dam will consist of five cascading hydroelectric stations and is projected to generate 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. Once the river crosses into India, it becomes the Brahmaputra, a vital water source for hundreds of millions in India and Bangladesh. Critics warn the project could allow China to control the flow of water to its neighbours, especially during times of geopolitical tension.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang presided over the ground-breaking ceremony in Nyingchi on Friday, calling the massive hydropower development “the project of the century”. His presence underlined the project’s political and strategic importance to Beijing’s long-term energy and infrastructure plans.
Though China remains the world’s leading builder of coal-fired power plants, it is also under pressure to curb emissions and expand renewable energy. Hydropower, especially on this scale, is seen as a key pillar of its green ambitions. The dam, first mentioned in the Communist Party’s 2020 five-year plan, has now formally received approval after years of planning.
“This project is intended to accelerate the country’s efforts to create a new development pattern and pursue high-quality development,” a government statement declared.
However, environmentalists and regional leaders have sounded the alarm. The dam site lies in a region of extraordinary ecological fragility, prone to earthquakes and home to a rapidly melting glacial system already under severe stress from global warming. A 7.1 magnitude earthquake earlier this year in the region killed at least 126 people.
“The project poses an existential threat,” said Pema Khandu, chief minister of India’s bordering Arunachal Pradesh state, calling the dam a “ticking water bomb”. He warned that downstream communities and tribal populations could face catastrophic consequences if the river’s flow is disrupted.
India’s central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has so far responded cautiously, aware of the delicate diplomatic balance with China following deadly border clashes in 2020 and 2021. Still, New Delhi is reportedly exploring its own dam-building projects along the Brahmaputra in a bid to counterbalance Beijing’s hydrological dominance.
Experts are particularly worried about the dam’s location in one of the world’s deepest canyons, where the river drops nearly 2,000 metres—offering immense energy potential but also compounding the seismic risk. Some Chinese scientists have expressed concerns about both the ecological damage and the threat of catastrophic failure in the event of a quake.
Despite these risks, the project has been met with enthusiasm within China. Following Li Qiang’s announcement, construction and energy company stocks surged on the Shanghai stock market, signalling investor confidence in the government’s renewed push for mega-infrastructure.
The Nyingchi dam may symbolise China’s return to bold development, but for millions downstream and environmental advocates across Asia, it raises the stakes in an already fragile region. As The Times UK reports, the world will be watching whether this “project of the century” delivers power or peril.
