Is The Mega Dam in China Good Or Bad For The Environment?
In the world of renewable energy, few projects generate as much buzz — or controversy — as China’s latest hydro venture on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet. Branded as a triumph for clean energy, the Medog Hydropower Station is now under construction and poised to become the largest hydropower facility on the planet, eclipsing even the mighty Three Gorges Dam. (1)
The numbers are jaw-dropping: enough electricity to power 300 million people, zero direct emissions, and a key step in China’s path to net zero. What’s not to like? On the surface, it sounds like an environmental dream. But dig deeper, and the shine wears off quickly.
A Dam of Superlatives
The Yarlung Tsangpo carves its way through the Himalayas, forming one of the deepest and most biologically rich canyons on Earth before continuing on as the Brahmaputra into India and Bangladesh. China’s chosen site lies in the Grand Canyon of the Yarlung Tsangpo, an area so remote and pristine that it’s been largely untouched by industrial development — until now.
The Medog dam is expected to have an installed capacity of 60 gigawatts and generate nearly 300 terawatt-hours of electricity per year — triple the output of the Three Gorges Dam. (2) The bulk of this power will be transmitted east to feed the high-demand cities and industrial hubs on China’s coast. Tibet itself will see some local benefit in terms of grid reliability, but make no mistake: this is a project built for national — not regional — priorities.
It’s also the centrepiece of China’s long-running “West to East Electricity Transfer” strategy, which turns the country’s peripheral provinces into energy exporters for the economic heartland. (3)
The Allure of Hydro
There’s no denying the appeal of hydropower. Once operational, dams produce low-emission electricity, offer stable baseload power, and help reduce reliance on coal — all critical ingredients in any serious climate strategy. China, the world’s largest emitter, is under pressure to peak emissions by 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2060. Projects like this let Beijing show progress. (2)
And on paper, it delivers: a vast amount of renewable energy from a single site with no oil, gas, or coal involved. Tick, tick, tick.
But that’s the brochure version. The full picture is a lot murkier.
The Environmental Trade-Off
Dams don’t just generate power — they transform ecosystems. The Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon is an ecological gem, home to unique plant species, endangered animals, and a river system that has flowed freely for millions of years (1). Building a dam here is like drilling for oil in a national park — technically possible, but environmentally reckless.
Here’s what’s at stake:
River fragmentation: The dam will block fish migration routes, change water temperatures, and cut off downstream sediment flows. These aren’t minor tweaks — they’re fundamental changes to how the river functions.
Seismic risk: This is one of the most tectonically active areas on the planet. Building massive infrastructure on fault lines introduces the risk of landslides and potentially even dam-triggered earthquakes.
Methane emissions: While cleaner than coal, hydro reservoirs aren’t emissions-free. Decomposing vegetation underwater can release methane, a far more potent greenhouse gas than CO₂. The carbon math isn’t always as clean as it looks. (3)
These issues aren’t new. The Three Gorges Dam displaced over a million people, altered the Yangtze River’s ecology, and contributed to the collapse of multiple fish and bird species. Smaller projects like the Zangmu Dam, completed upstream in 2015, were also built with minimal transparency and raised concerns about downstream water security.
China has seen this movie before — and it rarely ends well for the environment.
What It Means for Tibetans
Tibetans are unlikely to be the winners in this project. While it will bring roads, power lines, and employment opportunities, most benefits will bypass local communities and flow directly to state-owned enterprises and construction firms based outside the region. (1)
Meanwhile, Tibetans face a familiar set of challenges:
Forced resettlement to make way for reservoirs and construction zones.
Loss of sacred landscapes, as rivers and mountains hold deep spiritual and cultural significance in Tibetan Buddhism.
Heavy security presence, with large projects often used as a pretext to increase state control.
In short, this is development by decree — planned in Beijing, imposed on the plateau.
Downstream Impacts, Regional Fallout
The Yarlung Tsangpo doesn’t stop at China’s borders. It becomes the Brahmaputra, a lifeline for millions in India and Bangladesh. Neither country was consulted about this dam, and both have raised concerns over the lack of transparency and potential disruption to dry season flows. (2)
In a region already prone to water stress, unilateral control of a transboundary river adds fuel to existing geopolitical tensions. This isn’t just an environmental issue — it’s a diplomatic one, too.
The Bottom Line
Hydropower is often seen as the gold standard of clean energy — but that reputation doesn’t always hold up under scrutiny. In theory, the Medog dam offers a climate solution. In practice, it may do more harm than good.
Yes, it will generate an immense amount of renewable electricity. But it will also flood a pristine ecosystem, displace communities, release methane, and heighten regional tensions — all in the name of progress.
The lesson here is simple: not all green energy is environmentally friendly. Scale, location, and governance matter. And in this case, they raise more red flags than green ones.
References
Davidson, Helen. The Guardian. China starts building world's biggest hydropower dam on Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet. 21 July 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/21/china-starts-building-world-biggest-hydropower-dam-yarlung-tsangpo-river-tibet
Stanway, David. Reuters. China embarks on world’s largest hydropower dam, capital markets cheer. 21 July 2025. https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/china-embarks-worlds-largest-hydropower-dam-capital-markets-cheer-2025-07-21/
Stocks, Carrienne. Water Power Magazine. China approves construction of world’s largest hydropower dam in Tibet. 30 December 2024 https://www.waterpowermagazine.com/news/china-approves-construction-of-worlds-largest-hydropower-dam-in-tibet/
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