4th unit of Subansiri Lower nears completion as Northeast power push advances

Guwahati, Apr 13: The fourth unit of the Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (SLHEP) is nearing completion, with several other major hydropower projects in the Northeast, including the Dibang project, in various stages of development.

Official sources told The Assam Tribune that the fourth unit of SLHEP is currently under trial and is expected to be completed within a few days.

With its commissioning, the project will begin generating 1,000 MW of power. The full capacity of 2,000 MW is targeted to be achieved by March 2027.

The Dibang Multipurpose Project, with a planned capacity of 2,880 MW, is currently under construction and is slated for completion by 2030. However, sources indicated that delays cannot be ruled out.

Work on the Subansiri Middle Hydroelectric Project, to be constructed on the Kamala river, a tributary of the Subansiri, is also expected to begin soon.

The project has received all necessary clearances, including investment approval. While the completion timeline has not been finalised, it is expected to take at least six to seven years to complete. Once operational, it will generate 1,720 MW of power.

Meanwhile, the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Limited is set to construct the Lohit hydropower project near the India–China border.

Although the project has secured the required clearances from the Central government, land acquisition remains a key hurdle and is being handled by the Arunachal Pradesh government. Construction will begin once the process is completed.

The tendering process for the Lohit project has already commenced. The project, with an estimated investment of over Rs 14,000 crore, will have a capacity of 1,200 MW. It is planned as a run-of-the-river project, featuring a concrete gravity dam and an underground powerhouse.

However, the Subansiri Upper Hydroelectric Project, with a proposed capacity of 1,650 MW, is yet to receive investment clearance from the Centre.