The International Risk Podcast Episode 276: China's Push to Build the World's Largest Hydropower Dam System in Tibet with Brian Eyler and Palmo Tenzin
On 19 July 2025, China began construction on a 60,000-megawatt hydropower project at Medog, with three times the output of Three Gorges and roughly the UK’s entire annual power production. This is a 1.2-trillion-yuan investment (USD 170 B) that Beijing frames as clean energy and development. It is located in southeast Tibert, and only 30km upstream of India. Delhi hears strategic risk. Tibetans see cultural erasure. And over 100 million people downstream are wondering who controls their tomorrow.
Today, we are joined by Brian Eyler and Palmo Tenzin.
Brian is the Director of the Stimson Center’s Southeast Asia and Energy, Water and Sustainability programs. He is widely recognised as a leading voice and expert on transboundary water-energy-food nexus security issues in the Mekong River basin, having spent more than 15 years living and working in China. He is the co-lead on the Mekong Dam Monitor, an award-winning open-source platform providing near-real-time monitoring of dams and environmental impacts along the Mekong.
Palmo is an Advocacy Officer and Senior Researcher for the International Campaign for Tibet. Her research specialises in Chinese politics and contemporary Tibet, Sino-Tibetan relations and Asia-Pacific security. Before working at the ICT, Palmo held a position working in the Australian government and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. She is the author of the report published in December 2024 titled, ‘Chinese Hydropower: Damning Tibet’s Culture, Community and Environment’, which she has presented at the UN Human Rights Council in March, the European Parliament in May and most recently at World Water Week in Sweden.
The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical volatility and organised crime, to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you’re a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter.
Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe’s leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and Partner at one of Europe’s leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe's business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today’s business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage.