Amidst soaring energy demands and erratic weather patterns, China and India find themselves at the forefront of Asia’s most significant hydropower crisis in decades. Both nations heavily rely on hydropower as a cornerstone of their energy portfolios, and the current predicament is exacerbating concerns about their energy security and environmental sustainability.
China, home to the world’s largest hydropower capacity, has been grappling with a historic drought in its southwestern region, particularly in the Yangtze River basin. This prolonged dry spell has severely reduced water levels in key reservoirs, threatening electricity generation. Similarly, India, with its burgeoning population and increasing energy needs, is witnessing a worrying decline in hydropower production due to changing rainfall patterns and glacial melt. As both countries grapple with this shared challenge, their governments are under increasing pressure to diversify their energy mix and invest in alternative sources to mitigate the impacts of this hydropower crunch.