India Unveils $77 Billion Hydro Power Expansion from Brahmaputra River

India’s Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has proposed a ₹6.4 trillion ($77 billion) plan to transmit over 76 gigawatts of hydroelectric power from the Brahmaputra basin by 2047, as per the Central Electricity Authority (CEA). The plan is to meet increasing electricity demand across the country.

The plan includes 208 large hydro projects across 12 sub-basins in northeastern India. These cover Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Sikkim, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, and West Bengal. Total potential generation is 64.9 GW, with 11.1 GW from pumped-storage plants.

Hydro Potential in Arunachal Pradesh

The Brahmaputra River begins in Tibet, China, and flows through India and Bangladesh. Arunachal Pradesh alone accounts for 52.2 GW of the basin’s hydro potential. The basin as a whole holds more than 80% of India’s untapped hydroelectric capacity.

Phase-Wise Investment 

The transmission plan is divided into 2 phases. Phase 1, lasting until 2035, is estimated to cost ₹1.91 trillion. Phase 2 is projected at ₹4.52 trillion. Central public sector companies such as NHPC, NEEPCO, and SJVN are involved in project implementation.

China started building a large dam on the Brahmaputra in southeastern Tibet in July. The Indian government has warned that it could reduce dry-season flows on the Indian side by up to 85%, which may affect hydroelectric output.

The hydro plan is part of India’s energy strategy. The country aims to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil power capacity by 2030 and reach net zero emissions by 2070.

Read More: India’s Stranded Renewable Energy Capacity Doubles to 50 GW!

Conclusion

The plan provides a framework to develop hydroelectric resources from the Brahmaputra basin while addressing water management concerns linked to upstream activity in China.

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