China gives go-ahead for three new Brahmaputra dams

cir

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2010
Messages
1,996
Likes
269
BEIJING, January 30, 2013

12th Plan stresses hydropower from Yarlung Zangbo

China has given the go-ahead for the construction of three new hydropower dams on the middle reaches of the Brahmaputra river, ending a two-year halt in approving new projects on the river amid concerns from India and environmental groups.

The three new dams have been approved by the State Council, or Cabinet, under a new energy development plan for 2015 that was released on January 23, according to a copy of the plan available with The Hindu.

China has, so far, only begun construction on one major hydropower dam on the main stream of the middle reaches of the Brahmaputra or Yarlung Zangbo as it is known in China – a 510 MW project in Zangmu in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), which began to be built in 2010.

One of the three approved new dams is bigger than the Zangmu project.

A 640 MW dam will be built in Dagu, which lies 18 km upstream of Zangmu. Another 320 MW dam will be built at Jiacha, also on the middle reaches of the Brahmaputura downstream of Zangmu. A third dam will be built at Jiexu, 11 km upstream of Zangmu. The capacity of the Jiexu dam is, as yet, unconfirmed.

The three projects were listed in the State Council's energy plan for the Twelfth Five Year Plan period (2011-15), which was released on January 23.

Vigorous push

The plan said the government "will push forward vigorously the hydropower base construction" on the middle reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo. In the Twelfth Five Year plan period (2011-15), the government will begin construction of 120 million kilowatt of conventional hydropower.

Feasibility study

A pre-feasibility study report for the 640 MW Dagu dam passed review in November, according to the Huadong Engineering Corporation, a hydropower company that was tasked with conducting the study by the local government.

A notice posted on its website said a two-day review conference for the pre-feasibility study of the dam was held in November, organised by the Tibet Autonomous Region government's Development and Reform Commission. The notice said the study successfully passed review, adding that the dam would be located 18 km upstream of the already in-construction Zangmu dam.

The catchment area at the dam site, according to the Huadong Engineering Corporation, is 157,400 square kilometres, and the average annual discharge is 1010 cubic metres per second.

The dam will be built with a height of 124 metres and 640 MW capacity. The construction of the Zangmu dam in 2010 triggered concerns in India regarding possible impact on downstream flows. Chinese officials, however, assured their Indian counterparts that the project was only a run-of-the-river hydropower station, which would not divert the Brahmaputra's waters. The government has also built at least six smaller hydropower projects on the Yarlung Zangbo's tributaries, which, officials say, will have no impact on downstream flows.

Diversion plan shelved

The government has, for now, shelved a long-discussed plan to divert the Yarlung Zangbo's waters to the arid north, citing technical difficulties. The plan is part of the proposed Western route of the massive South-to-North diversion project, on which construction is yet to begin. Chinese officials and analysts say a diversion plan is very unlikely, considering the difficult terrain and technical problems.

However, with the three new approvals under the energy plan, four hydropower projects will now be built — all located within a few dozen kilometres of each other — on the main stream of the middle reaches of the Brahmaputra.

Fresh concerns likely in India

While they are run-of-the-river projects, they will be required to store large volumes of water for generating power. Their construction is likely to trigger fresh concerns in India on how the flows of the Brahmaputra downstream will be impacted.

The Hindu : News / International : China gives go-ahead for three new Brahmaputra dams
 
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
29,802
Likes
48,285
Country flag
This will turn the whole north eastern india and Bangladesh into a desert.
 

amoy

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2010
Messages
5,982
Likes
1,849
X-posting http://defenceforumindia.com/forum/china/37493-brahmaputra-water-hotspot-himalayan-asia.html

More worrying yet was the possibility that China's aggressive search for promising hydropower dam sites in Tibet might ultimately drive Beijing to focus on the so-called Great Bend in the Brahmaputra, the point in the Himalayas where the river curves south onto India's Assamese plain. It was reported in May 2010 that research had indeed been carried out for a massive project at the bend.2 Tsering predicts that China is likely to construct a 38,000 MW hydropower station and large storage dam near Motuo3 and, if built, "China will gain significant capacity to control the Brahmaputra's flow. Basically, India will become dependent on China for flow of what is now a free-flowing international river".4

Diversion of the Brahmaputra's waters is another – and much more portentous – potential use. Planned diversion of this river's waters from India's water-surplus northeast to drought-stricken western and southern states, though at least temporarily on hold, is the key to India's River Linking Project (RLP). China's diversion plans, on the other hand, are lodged in the mammoth and already underway South-North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP). If currently discussed proposals to include the Brahmaputra in an extended version of the still pending Western Route of the SNWDP were implemented, the consequences for downstream India and, even more so Bangladesh, might be disastrous.

China's southern belt has historically been a water surplus region while its north and northwest have been increasingly water scarce. China's north, with 42% of the country's population in 2003, had only 14% of available fresh water supplies; while its south, with 58% of population, held 86% of fresh water supplies.
 
Last edited:

amoy

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2010
Messages
5,982
Likes
1,849
This will turn the whole north eastern india and Bangladesh into a desert.
What an exaggeration! The dam for power generation doesn't stop the water flowing downstream.

But of course it can turn out to be an WMD if India keeps on needling China!

Practically the water can be pumped by the hydro-power produced itself to arid western China like Xinjiang + Gansu to irrigate gobi into oasis. That'd be an accomplishment for mankind.


http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/photo/2014-11/23/c_133808455_5.htm
Water is discharged from the dam of Zangmu Hydropower Station in Gyaca County, Shannan Prefecture, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Nov. 22, 2014. This Tibet's largest hydropower station became partly operational on Sunday, harnessing the rich water resources of the Yarlung Zangbo River to empower the development of the electricity-strapped region.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
29,802
Likes
48,285
Country flag
Water is being diverted. The natural flow of the river is being altered.
 

sorcerer

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2013
Messages
26,920
Likes
98,472
Country flag
With China seemingly on a dam-constructing spree over the Brahmaputra, including one near the point where the river enters India, the government has given the go-ahead for a big hydropower project in Arunachal Pradesh to mark India's stake in a river that is in many ways a lifeline of the strategic northeast.

The government has given clearance to the 800 MW Tawang-II hydropower project in Arunachal Pradesh this week, paving the way for its implementation, according to officials. The project had been pending clearance a long time.

The hydro power project would help to mark the stakes of India, a lower riparian country, in a crucial river, especially in the absence of a water sharing treaty with China, according to officials.
Kinda like a water reservoiur. This would ensure that the states over there have sufficient water even if the PRC takes it all.

But of course it can turn out to be an WMD if India keeps on needling China!
That would be a WMD against civilians and nothing to counter any military conflict. That would be a Dare!!
This aint Tiananmen square!!
 
Last edited:
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
29,802
Likes
48,285
Country flag
Kinda like a water reservoiur. This would ensure that the states over there have sufficient water even if the PRC takes it all.



That would be a WMD against civilians and nothing to counter any military conflict. That would be a Dare!!
This aint Tiananmen square!!
This is water leftover but what about further down?
 

Hari Sud

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2012
Messages
3,702
Likes
8,331
Country flag
They are daring India.

They wish to keep india busy on many fronts and then quitely achieve the objective of taking away the Brahmaputra water to China.

Smart eh!

But not so smart, as India is no longer ruled by non performing party. These dams and railway line become the prime objective of Tibetean upsurge, as they do not wish their water to China. All india got to do is to encourage them.
 

sorcerer

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2013
Messages
26,920
Likes
98,472
Country flag
This is water leftover but what about further down?
NOt just that, a few other articles say abou the natural rains ..and other natural sources of water and use them to fill the reserve. I believe no matter how random something may appear, there's still a plan!!!
One thing is for sure India wont bow down to any high handedness. She will find a way, as always. I trust on that!
:popcorn:
 

ezsasa

Designated Cynic
Mod
Joined
Jul 12, 2014
Messages
31,732
Likes
147,040
Country flag
I am not seeing a cause for serious concern regarding the three dams mentioned in the article , this is just one of the many tributaries that flow into Brahmaputra. all three of them are being built on the same tributary as per article.
 

SADAKHUSH

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2010
Messages
1,839
Likes
780
Country flag
Have Indian authorities done any study to measure the impact of diversion of water and how to counter it? If any one of you have any information please post it. We should take this for granted that Chinese will deny everything till we catch them red handed with evidence. How will Bangladesh react once the news is confirmed with documented evidence?
 

LalTopi

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2012
Messages
583
Likes
311
But of course it can turn out to be an WMD if India keeps on needling China!
Works both ways. Likewise the Three Gorges dam can be a WMD if China keeps on needling India. A few well placed conventional missiles and 200m Chinese can go for a swim.
 

SADAKHUSH

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2010
Messages
1,839
Likes
780
Country flag
Have Indian authorities done any study to measure the impact of diversion of water and how to counter it? If any one of you have any information please post it. We should take this for granted that Chinese will deny everything till we catch them red handed with evidence. How will Bangladesh react once the news is confirmed with documented evidence?
 

Yusuf

GUARDIAN
Super Mod
Joined
Mar 24, 2009
Messages
24,324
Likes
11,757
Country flag
The country that will suffer the most is not India but Bangladesh if any water is diverted. They can't divert all waters.
 

brational

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 4, 2014
Messages
1,223
Likes
2,644
Country flag
This will turn the whole north eastern india and Bangladesh into a desert.
Yarlung Tsangpo/siang is not the only water source of Brahmaputra. Northeastern region will never turn into desert, yes the existing dams on tsangpo already caused waterflow during winter to spring as the river stopped getting glacier feed of tibet and the river ecology in stake.

The current situation is also attributed by the anti dam protests by locals on Siang river where India eventually lost the first right on water. Flash floods will occur more frequently than ever with new dams in Tibet.

Bangladesh may feel the heat in future if india control the flow of the river during winter-spring season.
 

Latest Replies

Global Defence

New threads

Articles

Top