Beijing opens the sluice gates

China may have quietly opened the floodgates to build new massive hydropower projects after a near halt due to environmental, immigration and other concerns.

The National Development and Reform Commission in late October gave a nod to the Three Gorges project to continue, while approving five other projects o the Jinsha river, the largest tributary to the Yangtze river.

Two of the projects had been stalled for lack of environmental impact assessment reports.

China has also defended its decision to dam the Brahmaputra in Tibet, amid concerns it could disrupt water supplies downstream in India and harm ecosystems.