Huge investment in mega hydro projects in Arunachal

At least Rs 2,00,000 crore will be invested in mega hydro projects in Arunachal Pradesh in the next decade when it will gradually increase its contribution to the national grid to 25,000 MW, according to an eminent power expert.

Arunachal Pradesh will generate at least 12,000 MW of hydro-power in next seven years and the generation will rise to 25,000 MW by 2020, attracting Rupees two lakh crore in investment in the next decade in the power sector alone, chief of a power wing of a major private sector power developer executing mega projects in in the state, S C Sharma told PTI.

“That much investment is definitely coming, mostly from foreign countries along with turbines in the next decade to Arunachal with eight major river basins having a potential of generating 65,000 MW as identified by the Central Electricity Authority,” Sharma, a former CMD of NEEPCO who has experience of 38 years in hydo power generation.

Sharma along with other developers, made powerpoint presentations on the status of projects at which Governor J.J. Singh and Chief Minister Dorjee Khandju were present.

It was the second meeting to review the progress of work on 100 projects coming up in the state with a total capacity of 35,000 MW allotted by the Arunachal government to several CPSUs and private players.

“When generation of one MW of hydro power requires an investment of Rs 7 crore currently, you can imagine how much money is coming to Arunachal in the next ten years.”