China's latest mega project is turning heads: a hydropower project in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River. The plan is to build five cascade hydropower stations capable of generating up to 300 billion kilowatt-hours a year — enough to power more than 300 million people.
Some Indian officials claim the project threatens their water security — but let's face the scientific reality: The Yarlung Zangbo River enters India as the Brahmaputra, and its flow is largely driven by monsoons and tributaries south of the Himalayas. Also, hydropower stations don't consume or trap water — they generate electricity and return it to the river.
So perhaps the real issue isn't the project itself — but some countries' discomfort with China's success in green energy, regional development, and responsible transboundary management.