The Medog Hydropower Station (Chinese: 墨脱水电站) or Motuo Hydropower Station is a planned 60,000 megawatt (MW) run-of-the-river hydroelectric dam project on a single stretch or valley of a river under development on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet Autonomous Region, China. It is of four cascade dams across the Yarlung Tsangpo River and five separate power stations Upon completion, it will become the world's largest hydropower facility, with an anticipated annual power generation capacity of 10.8 PJ or 300 billion kilowatt-hours—triple that of the Three Gorges Dam. The Chinese government authorized the dam's construction in December 2024, with an estimated investment exceeding 1 trillion yuan (approximately US$137 billion). Construction officially began on 19 July 2025. The project is intended to be developed as a single-phase installation, with commercial operations planned for 2033.
Location The facility is planned to be constructed in Medog County within the Nyingtri Prefecture, situated near the Indian border state of Arunachal Pradesh. It is the lower section of Yarlung Tsangpo, which originates in western Tibet's glacial regions. This watercourse continues into India as the Brahmaputra River and into Bangladesh as the Jamuna River, serving as a crucial water source for these regions.
Overview The Medog Hydropower Station represents part of China's broader hydroelectric development strategy in Tibet. Since 2000, China has initiated or proposed 193 hydropower projects in the region, with approximately 60% still in planning or preparatory phases. Construction approval was granted in December 2024, with construction officially commencing on 19 July 2025. The Chinese government has not yet released comprehensive environmental impact assessments or detailed implementation plans for the project. The project is wholly owned and developed by Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina), a state-owned construction enterprise. Commercial operations are planned to begin in 2033. With a projected investment more than quadruple that of the Three Gorges Dam (which cost 250 billion yuan), the Medog Hydropower Station represents one of China's most ambitious infrastructure projects and one of the most expensive infrastructure projects in history. The facility's planned annual power output of 300 billion kilowatt-hours would establish it as the world's most productive hydroelectric installation, significantly surpassing current records. The project intends to harness a 2,000-meter river elevation drop within a 50-kilometer stretch nicknamed "the Great Bend", granting it the ability to generate significant amounts of hydroelectric power. This section flows through the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, recognized as Earth's deepest canyon system. The intended construction plan necessitates the excavation of four 20-kilometer tunnels through Namcha Barwa mountain to divert the Yarlung Tsangpo River. A cascade of five hydropower stations is planned.
Impact on flow According to Chinese officials, the dams being constructed on the Yarlung Tsangpo are of the run-of-the-river type, in which water is diverted through tunnels to a lower elevation to generate electricity and then returned to the river. Such systems do not store significant volumes of water for extended periods, unlike large reservoir-based dams capable of extensive flow regulation. Although the Yarlung Tsangpo originates inside Tibet, within Chinese borders, the majority of the Brahmaputra River's annual discharge (65–70%) is generated within India, primarily through monsoon rainfall and tributaries. Scientific studies also estimate that only about 25% of the river's total flow originates from snow and glacial melt in the upper Tibetan reaches. Due to this hydrological profile, upstream hydropower infrastructure, such as the Medog Hydropower Station, is expected to have a limited effect on downstream flows. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has remarked that the Brahmaputra is predominantly a rain-fed Indian river system, and has suggested that even if China were to reduce upstream flow, it might in fact potentially help mitigate the annual floods in Assam, which displace hundreds of thousands of people and destroy livelihoods. However, there have been raised concerns in India and Bangladesh, downstream nations that rely on the river. While China assures that the project will not impede water flow, India is concerned about potential impacts on water supply and flooding.
Criticism The project has faced resistance from various parties, which include environmental organizations, downstream nations, and Tibetan rights groups. Similar hydroelectric developments in Tibet have previously sparked protests, including recent demonstrations against the Kamtok Dam project on the Drichu/Yangtze River that led to over 1,000 arrests. India and Bangladesh have also voiced apprehension about the project's potential effects on their water resources. CNN reported that Chinese leader Xi Jinping called for the project to be advanced "forcefully, systematically, and effectively" during a visit earlier in 2025 to Tibet.
Cultural impact and displacement
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