China has begun construction of what is set to become the most powerful hydroelectric system ever built, high in the Himalayas. The project promises vast amounts of electricity for China but raises deep concerns downstream in India and Bangladesh, where tens of millions of people depend on the river for their livelihoods.
A Mega Project Built Into the Himalayas
China is pushing ahead with a massive and politically sensitive hydropower project near its southwestern border with India. The project, estimated to cost $168 billion, is expected to generate more electricity than any hydropower system in the world. Construction officially began in July 2025.
The location is deliberate. At the river’s Great Bend, the Yarlung Tsangpo drops nearly 2,000 meters over just 50 kilometers. This makes it one of the most powerful untapped hydropower sites on Earth. That drop alone could generate about 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, around three times
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