(TibetanReview.net, Apr18’20) – China said Apr 17 that the Zam Hydropower Station, the largest hydropower installation in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) had reached the 10 billion kilowatt mark on Apr 14. China had initially denied the existence of the hydropower project given the disquiet in India over its potential effect on the flow of the Yarlung Tangpo River, which becomes the Brahmaputra River upon entering its territory.
Following satellite images, China said the project would not affect the flow and volume of the river.
As of Apr 14, the station had logged safe operations for 1,976 days, since the first of the six power units entered service in Nov 2014, reported China’s official chinadaily.com.cn Apr 17, citing China Huaneng Group.
Located in Gyatsa county of Lhokha City, the Zam station is the region’s main source of power. Currently, it accounts 14.9 percent of the region’s total power generation, the report said.
The report said that with an investment of 9.6 billion yuan ($1.3 billion), China had taken eight years to complete construction of the hydropower station. It added that the station’s six power units could generate a combined total of 510,000 kilowatts.
The report said the station had raised the region’s installed capacity from 100,000 kilowatts to the current 500,000 kilowatts and greatly eased power shortages during winter in some of the region’s rural areas.
