China has approved the construction of the world’s largest hydropower plant, launching an ambitious project on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau.
The dam, located on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, is expected to generate 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, according to estimates published in 2020 by the China Electricity Corporation.
This capacity would more than triple that of the Three Gorges Dam, which currently holds the title of the world’s largest hydropower plant with a projected capacity of 88.2 billion kWh. The Three Gorges Dam is located in central China.
According to the official Xinhua news agency, the project will play a key role in meeting China’s carbon reduction goals, stimulating related industries such as engineering, and creating new jobs in Tibet.
