Background: Yamdrok Tso is a turquoise blue lake located about 100 km to the south-west of Lhasa, capital of Tibet. 'Yadrok or Yamdrok' in Tibetan means 'upper pasture' and 'Tso' refers to lake, thus Yamdrok Tso means Upper Pasture Lake. It has an elevation of 4,441 meters above mean sea level. The lake occupies an area of 678 sq. km and drains a watershed area of 6,100 sq. km. It has no outlet and is the third largest lake on the Tibetan Plateau. This lake is sacred to the Tibetan Buddhists. The lake has no perennial source of water. Some snow from the sorrounding mountains occasionally melts to feed the lake.

Chinese government plans to drop the water of this lake through a height of 846m down to a hydroelectric pump station located near the Tsangpo Piver. This gravitational drop of the water from Yamdrok Lake will be used to produce hydroelectricity. The Chinese say there is no adverse environmental affects, but the local inhabitants maintain that this project will dry-up the water of the lake within few decades. Tibetans feel the electricity generated from this hydro-pump station will be used for Chinese military and civilian population who dominate the urban areas of Lhasa and Shigatse. From the beginning this project was full of controversy. Following is a brief history:

1984 China's Ministry of Water Conservancy choose the lake Yamdrok, located 100 km southwest of Lhasa, as the site for a hydroelectric power station.

1985 The site and plan is approved by the state. The Plan includes building three access tunnels and a main tunnel for diverting water from the lake to the Yarlung Tsangpo Piver. The idea is viewed as one of the China's key energy development projects during the seventh five year plan (1986-1990).

Initial construction begins with the go ahead of the central authorities. Premier Li Peng said the project is a "gift" from the Party Central Committee and the State Council to the Tibetan people.

1986 July: The project stops due to concerns expressed by Tibetans that the hydroelectric power station could damage the local ecosystem. The Panchen Lama,Tibet's second highest spiritual and religious leader, plays a major role in opposing the power station.

August: A United Nation's Development Program (UNDP) report from a mission to Tibet says that "the project would reduce the area of the lake" and "there are serious discussions about the project including issues of the ecological balance as well as cultural and religious beliefs." There is also "the problem of transport and installation of large utilities in remote areas with rugged terrain" according to the UNDP report.

1989 January 28: The Panchen Lama dies and preparation for construction resume. A limited amount of funds, 3 million yuan, are allocated for the project.

September: Construction of Yamdrok Tso Hydroclectric Project begins.

1990 Village of Dramalungwith 27 households and 171 Tibetans lost 16% of their agricultural land permanently to the project.

1991 May 25: Li Ticying, head of the central delegation to Tibet, attends an opening ceremony for construction of the main tunnel and actual power station, three access tunnels completes. This project is now one of China's key projects in its 8th Five Year Plan (1991-1995). Soldiers of the armed police's engineering troops are brought into the area to oversee construction.

July: International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), Washington, DC, launches campaign to stop construction; exposes potential Norwegian aid.

August: China launches publicity campaign, announcing how "Yamzhog Yumco" is designed to benefit local people and that the PLA troops constructing it are doing a heroic duty for China.

Septcmber: Tunnel drilling reaches the depth of 1,505 m, slightly ahead of schedule.

October: Numerous reports from Tibetans say that the real purpose of the tunnel is to prospect for precious metals. Reports indicate, at the very least, that the construction is shrouded in secrecy and is profoundly mistrusted by local Tibetans.

1992 Fcbruary: Greenpeace highlights the Yamdrok Tso case, and urges its members to write to Mao Rubai, the vice chairman of the TAR.

March: TAR authorities announce that the construction will be expedited.

June: ICT and Eco-Tibet present over 10,000 signatures on a petition to stop construction to Chinese delegation at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

August: Chinese scientists admits that the Yamdrok Tso hydroelectric project is a large 'top-down' development project which lacks active participation by local people.

November: Costs of the project are said to reach US$ 40 million, 100% more than planned. An Austrian firm- Elin Energieversorgung (energy supply) and German company J.M. Voth secure contracts to supply the Chinese government with equipment for Yamdrok Tso station. Norwegian government denies any "funding or equipment has been provided by the Norwegian for Yamdrok Yumtso."

1993 All fresh water in Dramalung village located near the Yamdrok Tso hydroelectric project dries-up resulting in acute shortage of drinking water and water for irrigation.

March: Beijing announces that Yamdrok Tso will be followed by construction of an even larger dam- the Zhikong hydroelectric project, located 96 km from the Lhasa on the Lhasa River.

July: The Independent newspaper in London does a feature of the project. Says that Yamdrok Tso could become an "ecological disaster" in the next century.

December: Greenpeace Austria exposes the Austrian Government's role in Yamdrok Tso power plant. Dr. Ursula Schneider, Public Relations Director of the Elin Energy Supply, dismisses all reservation of environmental advocates and said, "This project is ecologically little alarming since there is water for the power plant and there is no kilometer long dam to be built." Greenpeace Austria urges its members to write to Dr. Franz Vranitzky, Prime Minister of Austria, to withhold export credits from all items relating to the project.

1994 October: Chinese engineers completes a 9.5 km tunnel linking the lake to the Tsangpo River below. Foreigners are not permitted to visit the site. Tibetans are outraged and sad over the project's violation of the lake as a sacred site, and they are well aware that the intended beneficiaries of the project are Chinese economic immigrants and military installations in the Lhasa valley.

1995 March 24: China reports the completion of the first of the four parts of installing turbines and generators at the Yamdrok Tso hydroelectric project.

July: Austrian and American contractors installing turbines and generators at the hydroelectric power station of Yamdrok Tso said that Chinese officials are "lying" about the environmental impact of the project. The Chinese statement that water will be pumped back into the lake are "just for show" to deceive foreign contractors. Chinese are unwilling to sacrifice the huge amount of power needed to pump water uphill more than 2,700 feet. One Austrian contractor estimated that the lake will be drained in 20 years.

August 16: According to ICT the suppliers of turbines and generators for the project are Voith and Elin at a cost of US $200 million.

1996: Chinese plan to test the operation of the hydroelectric station in early 1996.

2000: Expected project completion date.

(Green Tibet - Annual Newsletter 1996)

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Last updated: 14-Aug-96