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Time of India
7 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Tibet dam construction begins: How China's mega project could irreversibly change a fragile area
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads China is building the largest power plant the world has ever seen, in a very remote corner of Tibet. But the $167 billion hydropower dam has environmentalists and neighbouring countries the Big Take Asia Podcast, host Menaka Doshi speaks to Bloomberg's Dan Murtaugh about the engineering and geopolitical challenges, and the impact construction will have on the country's is a lightly edited transcript of the conversation:Earlier this month, China officially started construction on a massive hydropower dam in news anchor (in Chinese): Li Qiang announced the start of the hydropower project in the lower reaches of the Yarlung Tsangpo river, and the construction of the project officially kicked dam, when completed, will be the biggest power plant on the three times bigger than the largest power plant in the world right now. It's more than all of the power plants in Poland combined.(Dan Murtaugh covers the energy industry for Bloomberg from Beijing.)The amount of cement they're estimating they'll need, it would be enough to fill more than 50 Hoover dams. And the amount of steel, it'd be enough to build 116 Empire State mega project comes with a mega price tag – $167 would be one of the most expensive undertakings for infrastructure in human history. More expensive than the International Space Station. You're looking at, you know, decades-long projects like building the US interstate highway system before you get to comparable amounts of says the dam will provide a major source of clean energy. More importantly, it will boost the country's slowing economy. But the project carries huge engineering and environmental risks and could strain relations with two of its neighbours, India and Indian government has been worried about, if China was able to build a dam, they would then be able to use sort of water access as a pain point if there was an eventual conflict between the countries. And there's gonna be all of this human activity in a place that's been remote for most of its history. You hope for the best, but human history has not been very kind to planet Earth. And you just have to wonder if they're gonna be able to, to reign in people from not damaging permanently this really unique is the Big Take Asia from Bloomberg News. I'm Menaka Doshi, filling in for Oanh Ha. Every week we take you inside some of the world's biggest and most powerful economies, and the markets, tycoons and businesses that drive this ever-shifting region. Today on the show — China bets big on a new mega dam. Why the project is raising alarm with its neighbours, and what its construction could mean for China's economy and its green energy it comes to building hydrodams, China's got plenty of experience. It operates two of the world's largest dams. That includes the world's biggest hydrodam – Three Gorges – which opened in central China in 2009. This new mega dam will be built in Tibet, a mountainous region just north of the border with in this bend on the Yarlung Tsangpo River that they call the Mêdog or Motuo Bloomberg energy reporter Dan Murtaugh says the dam is in an area that till recently was very difficult to get is a very, very, very steep drop. The river drops about 2,000 meters over a 50 kilometer stretch as it curves and bends through the mountains of the Himalayas. The county that it's at is up until 2013 didn't even have a highway that connected it. You'd have to walk a day, you know, or, or take a donkey or a horse to get to the river from the closest dams – like the Hoover dam – block the path of a river to create a reservoir. They then release the water, which turns turbines, and generates electricity. This Yarlung Tsangpo dam is they're trying to do here is a little bit more audacious. The idea is to drill a tunnel through the mountains down the steep, steep, steep gradient, and then divert some of the water from going around that big bend and instead go basically just vertically straight down the mountain. That steep gradient that this river moves on really allows you to get that water flowing at high enough speeds to be able to run the turbines to generate the the groundbreaking ceremony earlier this month, Chinese Premier Li Qiang called the Yarlung Tsangpo dam the 'project of the century.' State engineers have said it has the potential to generate as much as 70 gigawatts of electricity. That's enough to power the United three times bigger than the largest power plant in the world right now. It is a national country level type of a generating asset. But China's huge. China has about 4,000 gigawatts of total generating capacity right now. Its peak demand is about 1,450 gigawatts. And so this project isn't going to have a huge world-changing impact on China's power sector. But it does do a couple of different things that are gonna be really beneficial to China's attempt to clean up its energy sector and will help China meet its energy transition goals of peaking emissions by 2030, and then reaching net-zero emissions by still relies on coal-powered plants to back up its more sustainable energy sources like solar and and solar, while cheap and while abundant, only generate when the wind blows and it doesn't really allow them to replace coal plants because at the end of the day you still need, you know, backup generation to make sure that when there's a period where there's no sun out and the wind stops, that people can still turn on their lights. What hydropower does that wind, solar don't do is it's what we call, uh, a dispatchable source. You can use it when it's needed. You can hold it back when it's not. Now hydropower is not perfectly dispatchable. Like if you are using a fossil fuel power plant, a gas or a coal power plant, you can really just sort of turn it off and on as needed. Hydropower, there's still some external things like whether there's a drought, if there's, you know, too much water, there's rain, you know, you have to open the floodgates. It's not perfect, but it is a clean power source that allows the grid to be a little bit more flexible in terms of, you know, generating when it's needed and not just, when the supply's reliability and flexibility are just two of the reasons why building a hydroelectric dam is so expensive. The Yarlung Tsangpo dam will cost $167 billion – more than the International Space Station did. And Dan says, the power it generates will be several times more expensive than any other energy it ends up being about a 70-gigawatt project as we expect it to be, you're talking about $2.4 million per megawatt. Now that compares to, an onshore wind plant right now that China would spend about $600,000 per megawatt on, or a solar power plant that China would spend about $400,000 per megawatt on. China infrastructure projects never lack for lenders, but this is not a white elephant. This is gonna be a hydropower project that sells a lot of electricity, that electricity has value. And so they're gonna be able to go to their lenders and say, listen, over 20, 30 years, we're gonna make a ton of money and we're gonna have the revenue to pay you says there's another reason the Chinese government has greenlit the project – and that's the state of China's way I think about it is, this is less of a hydropower project that's gonna provide some economic stimulus and more of an economic stimulus project that at the end of the day we'll be able to produce some hydropower. We're in this new sort of era where China's economy has been stagnant since COVID. People have been waiting for a kind of stimulus boost to recover it. Sectors like cement, like steel, like construction, those have been particularly hard hurt by the burst of the property bubble. And so you've got this perfect storm here where there's this project that requires a lot of those materials that used to be seen as maybe a little bit risky and, and costly to do, but now it kind of fits this dual need of both providing some economic stimulus for some hurting sectors, while also eventually providing a really, really large source of clean project is estimated to generate 200,000 new jobs and boost China's GDP every year for the next estimated that it's likely bigger than multiple different monetary policy actions that the central bank has taken over the past few years. Uh, so it could really help reflate the economy as they try to do their supply side reform over the coming China plans to transmit all that clean energy -- and what the dam's construction means for simmering tensions between Beijing and New Delhi -- that's after the has been talking about building a mega dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo river for decades. But construction was approved only in December last year. Bloomberg's Dan Murtaugh says that's largely because the challenges to the project are so past conversations I've had with people, they were a little bit, iffy on whether it would ever get built because this is an incredibly remote site. It's very, very far away from any major population centers. And so, you have to transport millions of tons of cement and sand and aggregate and tens of thousands of workers up to this remote project site is in a seismically active area. That means engineers will need to ensure that the dam is strong enough to withstand earthquakes. And then there's the question of how to get the power generated by the dam to the places that need it — Beijing. Shanghai. Hong Kong – They're all thousands of miles away. Which means this isn't just one massive infrastructure project: It's this year when China uh announced this project as part of their work plan for this year, they not only said we're gonna try to develop hydropower in the Yarlung Tsangpo river, but they said we're gonna try to build a power line from Tibet to the Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen Bay area to transmit some of that. That itself is gonna be a major undertaking, it's gonna require lots of copper and aluminum and steel itself. Citibank has estimated just the transmission alone could be another 700 billion yuan, about a hundred billion dollars. And so that will also be a difficult domestic considerations in building this mega dam are considerable. But they might be overshadowed by international complications. Downstream from the site, the Yarlung Tsangpo river flows into India, and then into Bangladesh, and is critical to livelihoods in the China first announced back in December that they was gonna go forward with this, the Indian government reached out to the Chinese government. They raised alarm bells. They, uh, an Indian minister said in March that this was part of discussions the country's had in January. The Chinese government clearly thinks that they've told the Indian government, the downstream areas won't be affected. And they think that they've convinced Indian officials that, this is not a project that will harm the relationship between China and India has worsened in recent years after a long history of border disputes in the Himalayan is too early to say how this is gonna develop. Already, India has mooted building its own hydropower station across the border from this plant where they would be able to at least put in a little bit of their own control over the flow of the water and produce their own another complication – Tibet is a highly sensitive area. The region has long endured intense social, security, and religious controls under Beijing's policies. And though China has denied them – allegations of mass labor systems and political repression is a politically sensitive area. It's been in the sort of global crosshairs for decades. Tibet and and the Beijing government have a very long and fraught history. And, you know, frankly, as a foreign journalist, Tibet is an area that I'm not allowed to not just the political situation in Tibet, there are significant concerns around the environmental implications as is a really, really fragile area. It's a really unique, there, you know, you have this dry mountain air coming down from the Himalayas, meeting up with this, humid, uh, warm air coming up from the Indian Ocean. It's one of, you know, the most uniquely biodiverse spots in the world, and the idea of bringing tens of thousands of workers plus however many, tens if not hundreds of thousands more, will sort of pop up to create like the restaurants and food trucks and bars and karaoke and stuff to, to service these people. The idea that there's gonna be all of this human activity in a place that's been remote for most of its history. You hope for the best, but human history has not been very kind to planet Earth. And you just have to wonder if they're gonna be able to, to reign in people from not damaging permanently this really unique area.
Sharjah 24
a day ago
- Politics
- Sharjah 24
Russian space chief to meet NASA head for first time in 8 years
Space has been one of the few areas of cooperation between Russia and the United States after Moscow's offensive on Ukraine brought relations between the two space pioneer nations to lows not seen since the Cold War. "Dmitry Bakanov, head of the Roscosmos delegation, arrived in Houston to meet with NASA leadership. This is the first face-to-face meeting between the heads of the Russian and US space agencies in eight years," Roscosmos said in a statement. At the meeting with NASA's acting administrator Sean Duffy, Bakanov will discuss "continuation of the cross-flight programme" and "the extension of the International Space Station's (ISS) operation," he said in the statement, as well as plans for de-orbiting the ISS to the ocean. The Russian official is also due to meet the NASA's Crew-11 mission team, including cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, ahead of the launch aboard the SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft, scheduled for July 31. The recently-appointed head of the Russian space agency will also visit NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Centre as well as Boeing's and SpaceX's facilities producing spacecraft. As part of the slew of sanctions imposed on Russia since its assault on Ukraine, many Western countries ceased partnerships with Roscosmos, but Soyuz remains one of the few spacecrafts capable of reaching the ISS. Russia's space programme, which for decades has been a source of great pride for the country, has been suffering for years from a chronic lack of funding, corruption scandals and failures such as the Luna-25 probe in August 2023.
India Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Shux finds mention in PM's Mann Ki Baat: People jumped with joy on his space return
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's recent space mission, calling it a moment of national pride that sparked joy across the country. Addressing the 124th episode of his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat on July 27, PM Modi said Shukla's safe return had ignited a wave of happiness and stirred nationwide admiration."In the past few weeks, a lot has happened that has made every Indian proud - be it sports, science or culture," said the Prime Shubhanshu Shukla's return from space was discussed a lot in the country. The moment Shubhanshu landed safely back on Earth, people jumped with joy. A wave of happiness spread across every heart. The whole country was filled with pride."The recent years have witnessed a surge in interest towards space, science and innovation. Equally commendable are the strides made by our youth in various Olympiads. #MannKiBaat Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 27, 2025 Shukla was one of four astronauts aboard the Axiom-4 mission, launched on June 25 aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. After spending nearly 20 days in microgravity and conducting experiments at the International Space Station (ISS), the crew splashed down safely off the coast of California on July 15. The mission marked a historic milestone as the first time an Indian entered the Minister Modi said Shukla's feat had sparked a growing interest in science and space among children. "Shukla's achievement has ignited a growing interest in space among children," he said, adding that this reflected a broader wave of scientific curiosity throughout a parallel with the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which landed on the moon in August 2023, PM Modi recalled the excitement it generated among young minds. "Even young kids now say, 'We will also go to space, we will also land on the moon and become space scientists.'"He also noted the increasing participation of students in the Inspire-Manak campaign, a government initiative to promote innovation at the school level."Five children are selected from every school who bring new ideas. So far, lakhs of children have become part of this initiative, and after Chandrayaan-3, the number has doubled," he further highlighted India's expanding presence in the space sector through its growing startup ecosystem. "Just five years ago, India had fewer than 50 space startups. Today, that number has crossed 200," he recognition of India's recent achievements in space exploration, the Prime Minister announced that August 23 will be celebrated as National Space encouraged citizens, especially students and space enthusiasts, to contribute ideas and suggestions on how to mark the occasion. These can be submitted via the NaMo App, the official mobile application associated with the Prime will talk about successes, achievement, in last few weeks, many things have happened in science, culture. Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla came back from space," PM Modi said, adding, "When Chandrayaan 3 was success, there was excitement in the country Space startups are increasing."He concluded his address by inviting public participation for National Space Day. "On August 23, there is National Space Day, you should send suggestions on Namo App," he said.- EndsMust Watch
News18
4 days ago
- Politics
- News18
NCERT To Add Module On Operation Sindoor, Shubhanshu Shukla's Space Mission In Curriculum
The NCERT is developing a special classroom module on Operation Sindoor to help students learn about India's defence strategy and diplomatic response, according to sources. The National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT) is developing two special classroom modules on Operation Sindoor– India's strikes against terror infrastructure across Pakistan– with an aim to make students of classes 3-12 learn about India's defence strategy and diplomatic response, news agency PTI reported citing sources. As per sources, two modules are currently under works. The first module is designed for students of Classes 3 to 8, while the second is intended for Classes 9 to 12. Each of these modules are likely to be around 8 to 10 pages long. This classroom module is aimed at helping students understand how nations respond to terror threats and how defence, diplomacy, and coordination between ministries play a role in national security. 'The aim is to make students understand how nations respond to terror threats and how defence, diplomacy, and coordination between ministries play a role in national security," education ministry sources said. Additionally, the NCERT is also planning to introduce the modules exploring India's growing prominence in space, highlighting key missions like Chandrayaan and Aditya-L1, along with the recent achievement of Indian Air Force Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla reaching the International Space Station (ISS) on Axiom Mission 4. 'The modules aim to provide a comprehensive view of India's progress across sectors-from defence to diplomacy, from sustainable development to space exploration," the source added. Operation Sindoor In one of the biggest attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, Lashkar-linked terrorists opened fire on a group of tourists in Pahalgam on April 22, killing at least 26 people, including foreign tourists, and injuring many others. The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar offshoot, claimed responsibility for the attack. India responded with Operation Sindoor on May 7, bombing nine terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in pre-dawn strikes that killed at least 100 militants. The operation sparked four days of cross-border fighting involving fighter jets, missiles and artillery. Axiom-4 Mission IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla along with former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Slawosz Uznanski from Poland (European Space Agency) and Tibor Kapu from Hungary, blasted off to International Space Station as part of Axiom-4 mission on June 25. The mission marked the first time an Indian entered the International Space Station and performed experiments in microgravity. The Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission was the fourth private astronaut expedition to the International Space Station. The crew returned safely to Earth onboard SpaceX's Dragon capsule, Grace, on July 15, after it made the splashdown into the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of San Diego in Southern California. He was flown to Houston, where he also met his family members, including his wife and child. Shukla brought along with him the results of the seven experiments, which were developed by Indian research institutions under the Human Space Flight Centre's coordination. view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 26, 2025, 22:54 IST News india NCERT To Add Module On Operation Sindoor, Shubhanshu Shukla's Space Mission In Curriculum Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
NDTV
4 days ago
- Science
- NDTV
NCERT Curriculum To Highlight Operation Sindoor, Chandrayaan Missions And More
New Delhi: Operation Sindoor, Mission LiFE, and Indian space missions, including Chandrayaan, Aditya L1, and Shubhanshu Shukla's recent International Space Station (ISS) mission, will soon be a key part of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) curriculum, according to Education Ministry sources. Two modules are currently under development. The first module is designed for students of Classes 3 to 8, while the second is intended for Classes 9 to 12. Each module will span approximately eight to 10 pages and will showcase key milestones in India's military and strategic journey with a particular emphasis on how Operation Sindoor was executed as a response to the Pahalgam terror attack. "The idea is to educate young minds about India's military power, the decisive actions taken to safeguard the nation's sovereignty, and how defence, diplomacy, and coordination between ministries play a role in national security," a senior official in the ministry said. While specific operational details will remain classified, Operation Sindoor will be used as a key case study to illustrate India's strategic strength. Sources also said that a module on the horrors of partition will also be introduced, offering students a historical perspective on the traumatic legacy of India's independence and the resilience shown in the years that followed. The modules will also chart India's rise as a global space power, detailing landmark missions such as Chandrayaan, Aditya L1, and the recent milestone of Indian Air Force Pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, Axiom Mission 4 reaching the ISS. This coursework is intended to spark scientific curiosity and motivate students. In addition to military achievements, the modules will also include content on Mission LiFE -- the flagship programme of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Students will be introduced to this mission's significance in combating climate change and promoting ecological balance. "The modules aim to provide a comprehensive view of India's progress across sectors-from defence to diplomacy, from sustainable development to space exploration," the official added. The Education Ministry has not announced an official launch date yet, but the modules are expected to be introduced in schools soon after completion.
