NTPC’s subansiri lower hydroelectric project nears completion

The milestone was achieved with dam construction at elevation level 210 m above sea level.

The construction of the dam until the top level of Elevation Level (EL) 210 M in all blocks was completed on recently, marking a significant milestone towards completion of the 2,000 Mega Watt Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project located in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam and being executed by NHPC Limited. Here, elevation level refers to height above mean sea level.

R. K. Singh, Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy, reviewed the project’s progress and it was informed then that the project had made significant progress in dam concreting, with 14 blocks having reached a top level of 210 metres and the remaining two blocks scheduled to be completed soon.

NHPC has reported that more than 90 percent of the project’s overall work has already been accomplished. The dam, power house, and hydromechanical works are all nearing completion. The remaining work of radial gates will be completed after the monsoon season and electricity generation is expected to begin by the end of Financial Year 2023-24.

The Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project, when completed, will generate roughly 7,500 million kilowatt-hours of power per year in a 90 percent reliable year.

After getting forest clearance on October 12, 2004, NHPC Limited began building on the Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project in January 2005. However, due to agitation and protests by local stakeholders, the project building progress was halted from December 2011 to October 2019. Following National Green Tribunal approval, the project construction commenced on October 15, 2019.