Itanagar: NHPC Limited has signed an agreement with the Arunachal Pradesh government to develop the 3,097 MW Etalin Hydroelectric Project in Dibang Valley, setting in motion work on what is expected to become India's largest hydroelectric power project.
The Memorandum of Agreement (MoA), signed on June 16, authorises NHPC to carry out preliminary investigations, prepare the pre-feasibility and Detailed Project Reports (DPR), secure financing and undertake the development of the project.
Located on the Dri and Tangon rivers in the Dibang Basin, the project will be implemented under the Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) model. It will have a lease period of 40 years from the Commercial Operation Date and will be developed as a run-of-the-river scheme in line with Arunachal Pradesh's hydropower policy.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein and senior officials from the state government and NHPC. Deepak Rattan Sagar and Hage Lailang formally signed the MoA on behalf of the two sides.
Commenting on the development, NHPC Chairman and Managing Director Bhupender Gupta said that the Etalin Hydroelectric Project reflects the shared commitment of NHPC and the Arunachal Pradesh government to harness the state's vast hydropower potential in a sustainable, environmentally responsible and community-centric manner.
He said the project is expected to generate long-term socio-economic benefits for the region while creating substantial livelihood and development opportunities for local communities. Gupta further noted that, upon commissioning, the Etalin project will become the largest hydroelectric project in India, making a significant contribution to the country's clean energy transition, energy security and sustainable development goals.
The project is expected to strengthen India's renewable energy capacity while increasing power generation from hydropower resources in the Northeast, a region that holds a significant share of the country's untapped hydroelectric potential.
BI Bureau
