Floods in Tibet and Nepal raise safety questions over China’s planned mega-dam

The floods that ravaged Nepal and Tibet have intensified questions about China’s plan to build the world’s largest hydropower project on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo, known downstream as the Brahmaputra.

China began construction in July 2025 in Nyingtri, Tibet, on a project valued at 1.2 trillion yuan. The plan would exploit a 2,000-meter drop across 50 kilometers of the river and build five cascade hydropower stations. Together, they are expected to produce about 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, more than three times the output of the Three Gorges power station.

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Hydroelectric dam construction and increasing development in the Himalayas were increasing the vulnerability of countries in the region to glacier collapses.

The river begins in China and flows through India, Bhutan and Bangladesh. The downstream region, like Tibet’s Gyirong County, faces compound hazards linked to tectonic activity in the Himalayas. Chinese researchers have warned that fault movement, retreating glaciers and thawing permafrost could combine to trigger landslides, collapses and debris flows.

A Chinese geology journal report published in June said an active fault beneath the construction site could affect the project’s safety and recommended additional reinforcement. Experts also warn that diverting the river through a tunnel would require extensive excavation, potentially increasing vulnerability to earthquakes and landslides.

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Contribute to greater seismic risks, potentially increasing the chance of landslides.

Glacier expert Anil Kulkarni said dam construction and broader development were increasing the region’s vulnerability to glacier collapses. Jagannath Panda said the project’s scale could contribute to seismic risks and increase the chance of landslides. He called for greater transparency, disclosure and dialogue with India, Nepal and other Himalayan countries.

China’s National Energy Administration announced on Aug. 11 that it would strengthen safety management, conduct risk assessments for major projects in extreme environments, and establish comprehensive monitoring, early-warning and risk-control systems.

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This is certainly one project that China should review carefully, with much greater transparency, disclosure and dialogue with Himalayan countries, particularly India, Nepal and others.