Hydroelectric Power: India’s power planning agency Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has prepared a massive transmission plan worth ₹6.4 lakh crore ($77 billion) to meet the growing electricity demand in the country. Under this plan, more than 76 GW hydroelectric capacity will be delivered to different parts of the country by 2047 from the Brahmaputra Basin.

According to the report released by CEA on Monday, the scheme covers 208 large hydro projects in 12 sub basins spread across the northeastern states. These include potential capacity of 64.9 GW and pumped storage plant capacity of 11.1 GW.

This has been said in the CEA report

The report states that the Brahmaputra River, which originates in Tibet (China) and passes through India and Bangladesh, has huge hydropower potential in India’s part. Especially in Arunachal Pradesh, which borders China, its potential is highest.

According to the CEA report, the transboundary location of this basin and its proximity to China makes water management and infrastructure planning a strategic challenge. India is worried that if China builds a big dam on the Yarlung Zangbo (the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra), it could reduce the dry season water flow to India by up to 85 percent.

80% of India’s hydro resources are in the Brahmaputra basin.

The Brahmaputra basin is spread across parts of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Sikkim, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland and West Bengal. According to reports, this basin holds more than 80 percent of India’s untapped hydropower potential. Only Arunachal Pradesh has a capacity of 52.2 GW.

The scheme will be implemented in two phases

According to CEA’s plan, the first phase will run till 2035, with an estimated cost of ₹1.91 lakh crore. The second phase will run till 2047, which will cost ₹4.52 lakh crore.

Projects will be handed over to companies like NHPC, NEEPCO and SJVN

In this scheme of CEA, many projects have been allotted to central public sector companies like NHPC, NEEPCO and SJVN. Some of these projects are already in the process of construction. India aims to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and achieve 500 GW non-fossil energy generation capacity by 2030. Also, India has set a target of net zero emissions by 2070.