Tibet
The Yamdrok Tso pumped-storage hydroelectric plant has become fully operational from late 1997, reports the World Rivers Review . Situated 120 km from the country's capital Lhasa, on the banks of the massive Yamdrok Tso lake, the plant is the biggest power station in Tibet, with an installed capacity of 90 megawatts (mw). Following reports of tunnel collapse and the need for re-excavation, international campaigners were surprised to hear that the plant is up and running.
Most Tibetan households do not require much power, except for a light--bulb or two, while the more-modern Chinese houses have all conventional facilities. Much of the power generated by the plant will go to the Chinese-owned businesses and small-scale industries.
The plant had faced severe protests from the local population during the early stages of its construction, as the Tibetans felt that destruction of the Yamdrok Tso lake might lead to disastrous consequences for the country.
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