China has launched construction on what it hails as the world’s largest hydropower project, deep within the Yarlung Zangbo River gorge in Tibet.
Premier Li Qiang presided over the groundbreaking ceremony in Nyingchi on Saturday, describing the massive venture as a “project of the century,” according to state broadcaster CGTN.
He urged the use of cutting-edge technologies and materials to ensure the project’s construction meets the highest standards of quality and innovation.
Once completed, the dam complex is expected to generate an astonishing 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually—triple that of the Three Gorges Dam.
The project will include five cascade hydropower stations and carry a total estimated investment of 1.2 trillion yuan, or roughly $167.8 billion.
The launch drew a large crowd, including government officials, engineers, and local residents, signalling its national significance and strategic scope.
State media says the project will be vital to China’s climate agenda, aiding its goals of peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and reaching neutrality by 2060.
China’s expansion of renewable infrastructure in sensitive regions like Tibet continues to spark geopolitical and environmental scrutiny.
Yet officials argue the project will power a greener future while boosting local economic development and energy security.
