China is constructing a $167 billion hydropower facility on the Tibetan plateau, aimed at increasing self-sufficiency in energy. The project involves extensive tunneling through mountainous terrain to harness the potential of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, located in one of the world's deepest canyons.

China has begun construction of the world's largest hydropower dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet, a project expected to generate significant electricity and stimulate economic growth. However, it faces criticism from neighboring countries like India and Bangladesh as well as environmentalists and Tibetan groups concerned about water diversion, displacement, and ecological impacts. Chinese officials assert the project's benefits while denying claims of water hegemony.