China is planning the world’s largest dam again – Electricity up to 300 TWh per year

The Chinese government plans to build the world’s largest dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, says Interesting Engineering. A massive hydropower plant will be connected to the dam. It would produce three times as much energy as the world’s largest hydroelectric plant, which operates in China at the Three Gorges Dam.

The Yarlung Tsangpo River runs through one of the deepest canyons in the world, descending a total of 7,667 meters. The Chinese government plans to take advantage of the height difference and use the dam to produce almost 300 terawatt hours (300 billion kWh) of hydropower per year, which would be enough for the energy needs of 300 million inhabitants.

To harness the river for its own use, China has to drill 4 to 20 kilometer long tunnels in the Namcha Barwa mountain. The country’s government has set aside 137 billion US dollars for the project.

Also increase wind and solar power

There are also big risks in a huge project. The dam and power plant would be located on the edge of a tectonic plate, meaning they would be exposed to potential earthquakes. Building in the mountains is also significantly more difficult than in the plains.

Sourced by Interesting Engineering South China Morning Post says that more wind and solar power plants could also be built in connection with the power plant project, in which case the production of clean energy in China would clearly increase. Ecological aspects are also planned to be taken into account in the construction. The schedule or details of the project have not yet been announced.

China is aiming for a net zero greenhouse gas emissions goal, which it is supposed to achieve in 2060. The country has thus considerably reduced its dependence on fossil fuels.

The Three Gorges Dam was completed in 2008. Electricity production at the power plant began in 2012, and energy goes to five million households per month.