China’s $167 Billion Tibetan Dam Alarms Scientists, Neighbors

China’s mega dam project in Tibet faces major safety and environmental concerns, as it is located in an earthquake-prone, biodiverse region.

The Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon in Megok county, Nyingchi city, in western Tibet, China, on March 28, 2021. STR/AFP via Getty Images

News Analysis

China has officially begun construction on a massive hydroelectric dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, despite strong warnings from scientists about the region’s fragile ecosystem and complex geological conditions.