Researchers urge stronger safeguards for Tibet’s Metog hydroelectric station

Scientists monitoring the development of the Metog hydroelectric station on the Yarlung Tsangpo river have sounded an alarm about underlying geological threats. Their analysis, overseen by the China Geological Survey, revealed that the active Piagen fault runs straight underneath the future reservoir. This fault, part of a network of fractures across the eastern Himalaya, has remained seismically active since the end of the last ice age.

The investigative team, comprising geologists from Chengdu University of Technology, the civil‑military integration centre of the China Geological Survey, and the Middle Yarlung Tsangpo Natural Resources Observation and Research Station, documented that the fault has fractured surrounding rock, altering its strength and elasticity. Such alterations could compromise the integrity of large structures built above the zone, including the world‑record dam slated for the site.

Because the basin slated for the reservoir is composed of loosely packed sediments with low shear strength, prolonged water contact, coupled with possible seismic shaking, could trigger landslides or slope failures. The Himalayas rank among the planet’s most active seismic belts, amplifying the potential danger. The authors therefore recommend that project designers integrate enhanced slope stabilisation methods, robust retaining walls, and comprehensive geotechnical monitoring to mitigate the identified risks.