PTI, Beijing :
China Monday partly commissioned its largest hydropower station in Tibet, built on the Brahmaputra river, that could restrict the flow of water in the major river in the riparian regions in India and Bangladesh.
The first generating unit of the 9.6 billion yuan (USD 1.5 billion) Zangmu Hydropower Station, which is positioned over 3,300 metres above sea level on the “roof of the world”, went into operation with five other generating units due for completion next year.
The huge project, which straddles the middle reaches of the roaring Yarlung Zangbo River, the local name for Brahmaputra will have a total installed capacity of 510,000 kilowatts upon completion. It is designed to generate 2.5 billion kilowatt hours of power annually, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.
Reports said besides Zangmu, China is reportedly building few more dams. China seeks to ally the Indian fears of running river projects which are not designed to hold water.
The dams also raised concerns in India over their ability to release the water at times of conflict which could pose serious risk of flooding.
In Tibet itself the dams sparked off apprehensions over their impact on the fragile environment of the Himalayan region.
Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said during his recent visit here that a comprehensive study will be conducted on Brahmaputra water basin.
An Indian Inter-Ministerial Expert Group (IMEG) on the Brahmaputra last year said the dams being built on the upper reaches has called for further monitoring, considering their impact on the flow of waters to the lower reaches.
The IMEG noted that the three dams, Jiexu, Zangmu and Jiacha are within 25 km of each other and 550 km from the Indian border.
India has been taking up this issue with China for the past few years and the two countries reached an agreement during the visit of Vice President Hamid Ansari in July this year under which India will pay China over Rs 82 lakh annually for crucial flood data of the Brahmaputra to improve flood forecasting.
The two sides also agreed to allow their water experts to conduct study tours on both sides of the river which originates in Tibet.
The commissioning of the Zangmu Hydropower Station improves the power station in Tibet, the report said.
China Monday partly commissioned its largest hydropower station in Tibet, built on the Brahmaputra river, that could restrict the flow of water in the major river in the riparian regions in India and Bangladesh.
The first generating unit of the 9.6 billion yuan (USD 1.5 billion) Zangmu Hydropower Station, which is positioned over 3,300 metres above sea level on the “roof of the world”, went into operation with five other generating units due for completion next year.
The huge project, which straddles the middle reaches of the roaring Yarlung Zangbo River, the local name for Brahmaputra will have a total installed capacity of 510,000 kilowatts upon completion. It is designed to generate 2.5 billion kilowatt hours of power annually, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported.
Reports said besides Zangmu, China is reportedly building few more dams. China seeks to ally the Indian fears of running river projects which are not designed to hold water.
The dams also raised concerns in India over their ability to release the water at times of conflict which could pose serious risk of flooding.
In Tibet itself the dams sparked off apprehensions over their impact on the fragile environment of the Himalayan region.
Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said during his recent visit here that a comprehensive study will be conducted on Brahmaputra water basin.
An Indian Inter-Ministerial Expert Group (IMEG) on the Brahmaputra last year said the dams being built on the upper reaches has called for further monitoring, considering their impact on the flow of waters to the lower reaches.
The IMEG noted that the three dams, Jiexu, Zangmu and Jiacha are within 25 km of each other and 550 km from the Indian border.
India has been taking up this issue with China for the past few years and the two countries reached an agreement during the visit of Vice President Hamid Ansari in July this year under which India will pay China over Rs 82 lakh annually for crucial flood data of the Brahmaputra to improve flood forecasting.
The two sides also agreed to allow their water experts to conduct study tours on both sides of the river which originates in Tibet.
The commissioning of the Zangmu Hydropower Station improves the power station in Tibet, the report said.
