China has officially approved the construction of what is set to be the world's largest hydropower dam, located on the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet. This ambitious project, which will span the lower reaches of the river, is expected to generate 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, far surpassing the Three Gorges Dam's output of 88.2 billion kWh. The new dam is also seen as a significant step toward China’s goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, alongside stimulating industries and creating jobs in Tibet.

The Yarlung Zangbo River, which falls dramatically over 2,000 meters within a short span, offers huge hydropower potential, though it presents unique engineering challenges. However, the cost of the dam, including engineering, is expected to exceed the 254.2 billion yuan spent on the Three Gorges Dam. This includes the resettlement of 1.4 million people, and similar challenges could arise with the Tibet project.

While Chinese officials assure that hydropower projects in Tibet won’t have a major environmental impact, concerns have been raised in neighboring countries like India and Bangladesh. The Yarlung Zangbo becomes the Brahmaputra river as it flows into India and Bangladesh, and any alteration to its flow or course could affect millions of people downstream. India, particularly the states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, along with Bangladesh, have expressed concerns about potential ecological disruptions and changes to the river's flow.