| World news China Construction approved for world’s largest hydropower dam in Tibet
China has given the green light for the construction of the world’s largest hydropower dam on the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet, according to Reuters. The project aims to produce 300 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, dwarfing the capacity of the Three Gorges Dam, currently the largest hydropower facility in the world. The dam, located on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo, will be a cornerstone of China’s efforts to meet its carbon neutrality goals, stimulate engineering and related industries, and generate employment in Tibet, the official Xinhua news agency reported. With a section of the river dropping 2,000m within just 50km,
the site offers significant hydropower potential but also presents unique engineering challenges. The Power Construction Corporation of China, which estimated the dam’s capacity in 2020, noted that it would more than triple the electricity output of the Three Gorges Dam.
While China has not disclosed the full cost of the project, it is
expected to surpass the 254.2 billion yuan ($34.83 billion) spent on the Three Gorges Dam. This earlier project displaced 1.4 million people, though authorities have not revealed how many might be affected by the Tibetan dam or its impact on the local ecosystem. Concerns have been raised by neighboring India and
Bangladesh, as the Yarlung Zangbo flows into India’s Arunachal Pradesh and Assam states before reaching Bangladesh, where it is known as the Brahmaputra River. Both nations worry the dam could disrupt water flow, alter river courses, and harm downstream ecosystems.
Chinese officials maintain that hydropower projects in Tibet, which holds a third of the nation’s hydroelectric potential, will have minimal environmental and downstream impacts. Nonetheless, the project has heightened tensions over transboundary water management in the region. China has already begun generating power on the upper reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo and plans additional projects upstream.
US
Kleinschmidt and Anchor QEA launch fish passage project for Upper Columbia United Tribes Kleinschmidt Associates, an environmental and hydropower consulting firm, has partnered with Anchor QEA to lead the development of fish passage systems at Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams. The project, undertaken for the Upper Columbia United Tribes (UCUT), seeks to reintroduce salmon to historical habitats blocked by the dams. These two facilities are among the largest hydropower producers in the US and the last in the Columbia River system without fish passage systems. The initiative supports UCUT’s Phase 2 Implementation Plan (P2IP), which aims to restore salmon populations to the Upper Columbia River while balancing ecological, cultural, and hydropower priorities. The project includes feasibility studies, planning, and engineering design for fish passage systems. Kleinschmidt and Anchor QEA will work alongside UCUT member tribes, dam operators, and regulators.
“As we begin the critical step in our 20-year
journey to reintroduce salmon into the Upper Columbia, we are grateful to welcome the expertise of Kleinschmidt and Anchor QEA teams in advancing fish passage solutions,” said Laura Robinson, Policy Analyst for UCUT. “Together, we will ensure that future generations can once again rely on the resilience and abundance of these waters.” Andy Holmes, Project Manager at Kleinschmidt, described the collaboration as an honour: “The fish in this region have an ancestral and spiritual connection to the people who live here, dating back thousands of years. It is a privilege to work together towards restoration.”
Anchor QEA’s Chief Strategy Officer, Saman Chaudry, added: “This project is a remarkable step toward restoring salmon populations and honouring the cultural and ecological legacy of the Upper Columbia United Tribes. We are proud to support this transformative effort.” The project’s first milestones include operational adult fish passage facilities at Chief Joseph Dam by July 2028 and juvenile facilities at Grand Coulee Dam by March 2030. These efforts aim to reestablish salmon populations and contribute to ecosystem restoration in the Upper Columbia River Basin.
US
NYPA approves $70.6 million contract for crane upgrades at St. Lawrence-FDR project The New York Power Authority (NYPA) Board of Trustees has approved a $70.6 million contract for the design, fabrication, and installation of two new gantry cranes at the St. Lawrence- Franklin D. Roosevelt Power Project in Massena. The contract was awarded to REEL COH, Inc., a Quebec-based company, and spans six years. The project will replace the facility’s original gantry cranes, which have been in use since the plant began operation over 65 years ago. The upgrades aim to enhance operational efficiency and safety at the hydroelectric plant, a critical source of clean energy for New York State. “These crane replacements are crucial for the
future operational safety and efficiency of the St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project, for our IBEW workforce and for NYPA,” said Judge Cecily Morris, NYPA Trustee and North Country resident. “This investment in modernizing our equipment demonstrates the Power Authority’s commitment to best-in-class upgrades to this essential North Country power generation asset.”
Justin E. Driscoll, NYPA President and CEO, emphasized the importance of the upgrades. “These two new cranes are essential for the continued safe and efficient operation of the St. Lawrence-FDR Power Project, ensuring the plant can continue to provide up to 1 GW of reliable, clean energy from this facility to New Yorkers for many years to come. The current cranes are original to the project and have served the plant well since it began operation more than 65 years ago. The cranes have reached the end of their operating lives, and we are grateful to have found a nearby, highly qualified vendor with the capacity to build this unique machinery using American steel.” The new cranes will include several upgrades: The 90-ton crane will be replaced with a 100- ton model to accommodate reserve capacity and dynamic forces when lifting intake gates. The 300-ton crane will be replaced with a 350-ton model to handle greater dynamic forces and potential future upgrades to the generating units. Additional improvements include rail replacement, conductor bus bar system upgrades, and power feeder replacements. Design and engineering work began in January 2025. The 100-ton crane is expected to be completed by mid-2028, with the 350-ton crane scheduled for completion in 2030.
DRC
Mpiana-Mwanga hydroelectric station generates renewable energy after 30-year hiatus Katamba Mining has successfully recommissioned the Mpiana-Mwanga hydroelectric power station in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, marking the first time in
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