China's Mega-Dam Project: A 'Project of the Century' with Global Implications
China's new massive hydropower dam on the Tibetan Plateau, projected to cost $170 billion, has sparked both economic optimism and environmental concerns. Set to rival the Three Gorges Dam, it aims to produce substantial energy but raises alarms over ecological impacts and effects on downstream countries like India and Bangladesh.
China's ambitious hydropower project, billed as the 'world's largest', has commenced construction on the Tibetan Plateau, according to official reports. Estimated to cost at least $170 billion, the dam is seen as a significant step in China's economic stimulus efforts, boosting stock prices and bond yields.
With the capacity to generate 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, the project presents considerable economic potential. However, concerns about its impact on downstream countries like India and Bangladesh, as well as its ecological consequences, are mounting. Special emphasis will be placed on ecological conservation, according to China's Premier Li Qiang.
Despite the economic optimism surrounding the project, NGOs and neighboring countries have raised alarms over environmental and societal impacts. As the project aims to bolster China's economic growth, the global community remains watchful of the potential repercussions in an ecologically sensitive region.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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