India plans Rs 6.4L crore project to transmit 76 GW from Brahmaputra hydro projects
The CEA said the plan covers as many as 208 large hydro projects across 12 sub-basins in the Northeast
New Delhi, Oct 14: India’s Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has proposed a Rs 6.4-lakh-crore plan to build a massive network of transmission lines to carry over 76 gigawatts of hydropower from Brahmaputra projects by 2047, aiming to meet rising energy demand and cut coal dependence.
In a report released on Monday, the CEA said the plan covers as many as 208 large hydro projects across 12 sub-basins in the northeastern states, with 64.9 GW of potential capacity and an additional 11.1 GW from pumped-storage plants.
Phase I of the plan, which is to be implemented till 2035, will require Rs 1.91 lakh crore, while Phase II will cost Rs 4.52 lakh crore, according to the CEA’s estimates.
The plan entails adding over 31,000 circuit kilometres of transmission lines, installing 68 gigavolt-amperes (GVA) of transformation capacity and building 42 GW of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) carrying capacity.
The CEA plan includes projects allocated to central public sector utilities such as the NHPC, the NEEPCO, and the SJVN, with some projects already in the pipeline.
The Brahmaputra, which originates in Tibet, flows across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Sikkim, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, and West Bengal, and holds more than 80% of India's untapped hydro potential, with Arunachal Pradesh alone accounting for 52.2 GW, the report states.
India aims to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels by having 500 GW of non-fossil power generation capacity by 2030 and becoming net zero by 2070.
The project is crucial for India to meet its growing electricity demand and transition away from fossil fuels.
It also addresses the strategic concerns posed by China's construction of a mega-dam on the Brahmaputra, which could adversely impact downstream water flow through India.
CEA's plan for the Indian basin of the river is a strategic response, demonstrating the country’s intent to develop its own hydro potential and asserting its water rights. The move is also critical for achieving India's renewable energy goals.
IANS