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When finished, this impressive megaproject will become the world's largest hydropower facility.
When finished, this impressive megaproject will become the world's largest hydropower facility (Image: Getty)
The world's megaprojects are the ultimate symbols of human development - vast, expensive and invented to transform lives. From record-breaking bridges to city-sized power plants, these projects push engineering to its limits. However, few projects are as impressive as the world’s biggest hydroelectric developments.
By harnessing the sheer force of rivers, massive dams can generate enormous amounts of clean electricity, powering millions of homes while cutting reliance on fossil fuels. As countries race to secure energy supplies and meet climate targets, hydroelectric megaprojects are increasingly seen as high-stakes gambles - capable of delivering huge rewards. The Medog Hydropower Station (also known as the Motuo project) is one such project, currently under construction on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
It will have an annual power generation capacity triple that of the Three Gorges Dam (Image: Getty)
The facility is planned for construction in Medog County, Nyingtri Prefecture, near the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. This is the lower section of the 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, acting as a crucial water source for these nations.
Upon completion, it will become the world's largest hydropower facility, with an anticipated annual power generation capacity of 300 billion kilowatt-hours - triple that of the Three Gorges Dam which spans the Yangtze River in the Hubei province.
The Chinese government authorised the dam's construction in December 2024, with an estimated investment exceeding one trillion yuan (approximately £100 billion). Construction officially began on July 19 last year with commercial operations planned for 2033.
The project intends to harness a 6,600-foot river elevation drop within a 31-mile stretch known as 'the Great Bend' (Image: Getty)
With a projected investment more than quadruple that of the Three Gorges Dam, which cost 250 billion yuan (£26 billion), the Medog Hydropower Station represents one of China's most ambitious and most expensive infrastructure projects in history.
It forms 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. The Chinese government has not yet released comprehensive environmental impact assessments or detailed implementation plans for the project.
The project intends to harness a 6,600-foot river elevation drop within a 31-mile stretch known as "the Great Bend", granting it the ability to generate significant amounts of hydroelectric power. This section flows through the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon - Earth's deepest canyon system.
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However, the station faces intense international criticism from downstream nations like India and Bangladesh, who fear the dam could be used for geopolitical leverage to control water security or cause environmental catastrophes.
Experts have warned of significant geological risks due to the region's high seismic activity and potential landslides, while human rights groups emphasised the threat to local biodiversity and the displacement of indigenous Tibetan communities from sacred cultural sites.
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