Brahmaputra River dam: China's next big infrastructure push

Guwahati, Dec 27: China has approved the construction of the world's largest dam on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet, near the Indian border, a massive infrastructure project estimated to cost USD 137 billion. This new dam, located in a dramatic gorge where the Brahmaputra makes a U-turn into Arunachal Pradesh before flowing into Bangladesh, has raised concerns among the riparian states of India and Bangladesh.

Reportedly, the hydropower project will be built in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River, the Tibetan name for the Brahmaputra. The dam is expected to surpass the Three Gorges Dam in China, currently the world’s largest, both in terms of size and investment. The total cost of the project could exceed one trillion yuan (about USD 137 billion), making it the biggest single infrastructure project globally, the South China Morning Post reported.

In addition to the massive Brahmaputra dam, China had previously operationalised the USD 1.5 billion Zam Hydropower Station, the largest in Tibet, in 2015. This new project is part of China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) and its long-term development goals through 2035, as outlined by the Communist Party of China.

The dam has raised alarms in India due to its potential to control water flow, particularly in times of conflict, with the risk that China could release large amounts of water, flooding sensitive border areas. India is also building its own dam on the Brahmaputra in Arunachal Pradesh.

In order to address a number of trans-border river-related concerns, China and India formed the Expert Level Mechanism (ELM) in 2006. Under this mechanism, China gives India hydrological data on the Brahmaputra and Sutlej rivers during flood seasons.

 NSA Ajit Doval, China's Special Representative for border issues, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met here on December 18 and discussed data sharing about transborder rivers.

 The SRS "provided positive directions for cross-border cooperation and exchanges," including data sharing on transborder rivers, a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said.

The Brahmaputra dam presents enormous engineering challenges as the project site is located along a tectonic plate boundary where earthquakes occur. The Tibetan plateau, regarded as the roof of the world, frequently experiences earthquakes as it is located over the tectonic plates.

The official statement sought to allay concerns about earthquakes, saying that the hydropower project is safe and prioritises ecological protection.

Through extensive geological explorations and technical advancements, a solid foundation has been laid for the science-based, secure, and high-quality development of the project, it said.

The Brahmaputra flows across the Tibetan Plateau, carving out the deepest canyon on Earth and covering a staggering vertical difference of 25,154 feet before reaching India, the Post report said.

The dam will be built in one of the rainiest parts of mainland China, bringing bountiful flows of water.

With inputs from news agency