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Medog Hydropower Station
Planned dam in Mêdog County, Tibet From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Medog Hydropower Station (Chinese: 墨脱水电站)[1] or Motuo Hydropower Station[2] is a planned 60,000 megawatt (MW) hydroelectric dam project under development on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet Autonomous Region, China. Upon completion, it will become the world's largest hydropower facility, with an anticipated annual power generation capacity of 300 billion kilowatt-hours—triple that of the Three Gorges Dam. The Chinese government authorized the dam's construction in December 2024, with an estimated investment exceeding 1 trillion yuan (approximately US$137 billion).[3] Construction officially began on 19 July 2025.[4] The project is intended to be developed as a single-phase installation, with commercial operations planned for 2033.[5]
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Location
The facility is planned to be constructed in Medog County within the Nyingtri Prefecture, situated near the Indian border state of Arunachal Pradesh. It is the lower section of Yarlung Tsangpo, which originates in western Tibet's glacial regions. This watercourse continues into India as the Brahmaputra River and into Bangladesh as the Jamuna River, serving as a crucial water source for these regions.[3]
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Overview
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Perspective
The Medog Hydropower Station represents part of China's broader hydroelectric development strategy in Tibet. Since 2000, China has initiated or proposed 193 hydropower projects in the region, with approximately 60% still in planning or preparatory phases. Construction approval was granted in December 2024, with construction officially commencing on 19 July 2025.[4] The Chinese government has not yet released comprehensive environmental impact assessments or detailed implementation plans for the project.[3]
The project is wholly owned and developed by Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina), a state-owned construction enterprise. Commercial operations are planned to begin in 2033. With a projected investment more than quadruple that of the Three Gorges Dam (which cost 250 billion yuan), the Medog Hydropower Station represents one of China's most ambitious infrastructure projects and one of the most expensive infrastructure projects in history. The facility's planned annual power output of 300 billion kilowatt-hours would establish it as the world's most productive hydroelectric installation, significantly surpassing current records.[3][5]
The project intends to harness a 2,000 meter river elevation drop within a 50-kilometer stretch nicknamed "the Great Bend,"[6] granting it the ability to generate significant amounts of hydroelectric power. This section flows through the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, recognized as Earth's deepest canyon system. The intended construction plan necessitates the excavation of four 20-kilometer tunnels through Namcha Barwa mountain to divert the Yarlung Tsangpo River.[7]
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Impact on flow
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According to Chinese officials, the dams being constructed on the Yarlung Tsangpo are of the run-of-the-river type, in which water is diverted through tunnels to a lower elevation to generate electricity and then returned to the river. Such systems do not store significant volumes of water for extended periods, unlike large reservoir-based dams capable of extensive flow regulation.[8]
Although the Yarlung Tsangpo originates inside Tibet, within Chinese borders, the majority of the Brahmaputra River's annual discharge (65–70%) is generated within India, primarily through monsoon rainfall and tributaries.[9][10] Scientific studies also estimate that only about 25% of the river's total flow originates from snow and glacial melt in the upper Tibetan reaches.[11] Due to this hydrological profile, upstream hydropower infrastructure, such as the Medog Hydropower Station, is expected to have a limited effect on downstream flows. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has remarked that the Brahmaputra is predominantly a rain-fed Indian river system, and has suggested that even if China were to reduce upstream flow, it might in fact potentially help mitigate the annual floods in Assam, which displace hundreds of thousands of people and destroy livelihoods.[12]
However, there have been raised concerns in India and Bangladesh, downstream nations that rely on the river. While China assures that the project will not impede water flow, India is concerned about potential impacts on water supply and flooding.[13]
Criticism
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The project has faced resistance from various parties, which include environmental organizations, downstream nations, and Tibetan rights groups. Similar hydroelectric developments in Tibet have previously sparked protests, including recent demonstrations against the Kamtok Dam project on the Drichu/Yangtze River that led to over 1,000 arrests. India and Bangladesh have also voiced apprehension about the project's potential effects on their water resources.[3]
Cultural impact and displacement
Tibetan rights organizations characterized the project as an example of resource exploitation at the expense of Buddhist cultural heritage and local communities.[7]
While specific displacement figures remain undisclosed, the project will necessitate population relocation in the affected area. For comparison, the Three Gorges Dam project resulted in approximately 1.4 million relocations, although the Medog region's lower population density suggests fewer displacements may be required. The development threatens to impact culturally significant sites in what Tibetans consider one of their most sacred regions. According to the International Campaign for Tibet, the 193 combined projects in the region could potentially displace over 1.2 million people and affect numerous religious sites if completed.[14]
The upcoming Medog hydropower station in Tibet has also raised concerns among the Adi tribal community in Arunachal Pradesh, India, who fear that the dam could significantly reduce water flow in the Siang River, threatening their traditional livelihoods and agricultural practices. Local leaders have warned that sudden releases of water from the dam could cause catastrophic flooding, endangering lives, property, and cultural heritage in the Siang belt, where the Adi and similar tribes reside.[15]
Environmental
Environmental organizations have identified several potential ecological consequences of the project. Many expressed concern about project's impact on the Tibetan Plateau's biodiversity. The region that will be impacted by the dam is recognized as one of Tibet's most ecologically diverse areas, leading to fears about ecosystem disruption.[7]
The dam's construction is expected to significantly alter downstream water flow patterns and impact local biodiversity. The project site's location in a seismically active zone prone to landslides has raised additional safety concerns, as the reservoir's water mass could potentially influence geological stability.[3] The steep, narrow topography of the gorge caused geological experts to warn about increased landslide risks. In 2022, engineers from the Sichuan provincial geological bureau specifically highlighted the dangers of "earthquake-induced landslides and mud-rock flows" as significant threats to the project's stability.[7]
Environmental concerns have also been raised about the irreversible impact of dam construction in the Yarlung Tsangpo gorge, where the river descends 2,000 meters over a 50-kilometre span. The region includes a national nature reserve and is considered one of China's most important biodiversity hotspots.[16]
Dr. Jogendranath Sharma warned that the Project, located in a seismically active region, poses serious risks to downstream Assam—including erosion, ecological disruption, and potential disaster in the event of an earthquake—urging a joint Indo-China environmental impact assessment.[17]
Aravind Yelery, associate professor at the Centre for East Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, stated that the dam could trap nutrient-rich sediments essential for soil fertility in downstream regions such as Assam and Bangladesh, potentially affecting irrigation. He added that the project may also reduce crop yields, harm agricultural productivity, and disrupt riverine ecosystems.[18]
Chinese state media has characterized the project as environmentally conscious, emphasizing its role in advancing Beijing's climate neutrality objectives while promoting regional economic development. Chinese officials maintained that the project will have minimal environmental impact, though specific impact assessments remain unpublished.[7]
Water security
The project has generated apprehension among downstream nations regarding water security. Hydrological experts have drawn parallels with China's previous dam projects on the Mekong River, where upstream water control has been associated with increased drought frequency and severity in downstream regions over the past twenty years. Critics noted that India and Bangladesh could face compromised water access, biodiversity disruption, and riverbank erosion akin to those faced by Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia from earlier Chinese hydroelectric projects.[3]
A 2020 analysis by the Lowy Institute indicated that China's control over Tibetan Plateau rivers could potentially provide significant geopolitical leverage over India's economy.[19] Indian authorities responded to the project by exploring countermeasures, including the potential development of their own large-scale hydroelectrical dam and reservoir system to mitigate the dam's impacts. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs asserted in 2020 that China maintains a "legitimate right" to dam the river, stating they have considered downstream effects in their planning.[7]
In 2025, India expressed renewed concerns over China’s construction of the hydropower station on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, citing potential risks to regional water security, environmental stability, and downstream livelihoods. Indian officials and experts warned that the project could affect river flows into India, particularly the Siang and Brahmaputra rivers, which are vital for millions in the northeastern states. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that the project was being closely monitored and urged China to ensure transparency and consultation with downstream countries. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar raised the issue during his visit to China in July 2025 for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, also calling for the resumption of suspended hydrological data sharing.[15][20][21]
Bangladesh has expressed concerns over water security due to China's construction of the Motuo Hydropower Station, which flows downstream into Bangladesh as the Jamuna River. In February 2025, Bangladeshi officials formally requested more information from Beijing, citing potential impacts on river flow, agriculture, and livelihoods in the densely populated delta region, which depends heavily on consistent water levels from transboundary rivers originating in Tibet.[15] China describes the Medog Hydropower Station as a run-of-the-river project with no impact on downstream flow, but Bangladesh has sought technical transparency and hydrological data to verify this. Malik Fida Khan, head of the Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services, warned that disruptions to the Brahmaputra—source of 70 percent of dry-season flow in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin—could harm Bangladesh’s water security. Sharif Jamil, coordinator of Riverkeeper Bangladesh, called the project “unilateral and geographically sensitive,” warning that a lack of consultation could result in ecological and socio-economic risks. If upstream interventions from China destabilize the natural flow, a professor from the University of Dhaka opines that Bangladesh’s "climate-stressed water security" could collapse.[22]
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References
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