Hydroelectric dam in China, world’s largest, approved
A hydroelectric dam, set to be the biggest hydropower dam complex on Earth, has been approved in China. It is capable of providing almost three times the power from the current record-holder, the Three Gorges Dam.
The project will be built in Tibet on the Yarlung Zangbo River, close to the Indian border. It is set to cost $137 billion US and form part of the 14th Five-Year Plan from China. This plan includes environmental goals hoping to accelerate renewable energy and reduce pollution.
The location for the proposed hydroelectric dam hopes to take advantage of the steep geography in the river, allowing it to harness more hydropower than ever before. It is predicted to generate around 300 billion kilowatt-hours annually.
That works out at around 300TWh, which is enough to provide the energy needs of around 300 million people
The current record holder is the Three Gorges Dam which spans the Yangtze River, also in China. It has a capacity of between 95 and 112 TWh annually. If completed, the new hydroelectric dam will dwarf its annual production by nearly threefold.
The Yarlung Zangbo River becomes the Brahmaputra when it crosses the border in India. It is one of the highest rivers on Earth, originating from the Angsi Glacier in Tibet. It sits on tectonic plates, suffering from earthquakes on a regular basis, and is part of the reason for the carving of the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, far longer than the Grand Canyon in the USA.
Its depth of 25,125ft or 7,667, makes it one of the most “hydropower-rich” rivers in the world, making it an ideal location for a hydroelectric dam.
However, authorities in India have expressed their concern about China controlling its flow of the river, and the impact that could have over the border.
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