China plans world’s largest dam, will generate 300 billion kWh of power yearly
The government has earmarked one trillion yuan (US$137 billion) for the project, making it the most ambitious single infrastructure project on Earth.
The Chinese government has approved the construction of a massive hydroelectric power plant over the world’s largest dam to be built over the sacred Yarlung Tsangpo River in the Tibet autonomous region. When ready, the power plant will generate three times as much energy as the one over Three Gorges Dam, currently the world’s largest hydropower project.
With its eye on the 2060 deadline to achieve net zero emissions, China has been working diligently to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. Interesting Engineering has previously reported on the multiple wind and solar energy projects that have started in recent months while also highlighting the push for nuclear power plants to generate carbon-free energy.
China’s ambitions in hydroelectric energy were evident as early as 2008 when the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s biggest dam, was completed. Power generation began in 2012 and currently supplies clean energy to over five million households every month.
However, China’s next project is so ambitious that its power generation capacity upon completion will be thrice that of the Three Gorges Dam plant.