Arunachal govt inks agreement for Rs 13,000cr hydropower project in Lohit basin

Arunachal govt inks agreement for Rs 13,000cr hydropower project in Lohit basin

he Arunachal Pradesh government on Saturday signed an agreement with the Tehri Hydropower Development Corporation India Ltd (THDCIL) for developing the 1,200-mw Kalai-II hydroelectric project in the Lohit river basin for Rs 13,000 crore. State Hydropower Commissioner Ankur Garg and THDCIL’s director (technical) Bhupender Gupta signed the agreement on behalf of the two sides. Chief Secretary Dharmendra presided over the programme.

In August, the state government signed agreements with three central PSUs — NHPC, SJVN and NEEPCO — for developing 12 hydropower projects, having a combined capacity of 11,517 MW, in Subansiri, Dibang and Siang basins. With the allotment of the Kalai-II project to THDCIL, the government concluded agreements for 13 projects with a total capacity of 12,717 MW in this calendar year.

Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein said the project will create historic development and employment opportunities in the Lohit basin area.”The state government will have 26 per cent equity in the project. The dividend from this equity participation will further augment the state’s earnings,” Mein, who also holds the power and hydropower portfolios, said.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Power Minister RK Singh for their support towards restarting the project. He said the state was committed to ensuring the full realisation of its hydropower potential for meeting the energy needs of the country.