China has approved the construction of the world’s largest hydropower power station on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet. The project, estimated at over ¥1 trillion ($137 billion), will generate an astonishing 300 billion kWh of electricity annually—three times the output of the current record-holder, the Three Gorges Dam.
World’s Largest Hydropower Station: Key Features of the Project
- Massive Energy Output: The new hydropower station will produce enough electricity to meet the annual needs of over 300 million people.
- Location and Challenges:
- Located on the Yarlung Tsangpo River, which flows through the world’s deepest canyon with a height drop of 7,667 meters before entering India as the Brahmaputra.
- The region is seismically active and features extreme altitude changes, complicating construction.
- Engineering Innovations:
- Plans include 4-6 tunnels, each 20 km long, capable of diverting 2,000 cubic meters of water per second.
- Harnessing a 2,000-meter altitude drop over 50 km, the plant will provide up to 70 GW of power—exceeding the combined capacity of three Three Gorges Dams.
Environmental and Regional Considerations
China has pledged to prioritize environmental safeguards, with plans to integrate the hydroelectric facility into a broader renewable energy network of solar and wind farms in the region.
While construction details remain undisclosed, the project is expected to play a pivotal role in China’s clean energy goals, bolstering infrastructure and addressing growing energy demands sustainably.
