New Delhi India can spend 1.13 trillion ($14.5 billion) to build the 10 GW Upper Siang multi-purpose storage project at Yingkiong in Arunachal Pradesh, a project central to countering China’s ambitious Siang River water diversion plan that flows downstream into the Brahmaputra feeds. The 10 gigawatt (GW) Upper Siang multi-purpose storage project will be built at Yingkiong in Arunachal Pradesh.
NHPC Limited has been entrusted with the project which will involve construction of a dam to store about 10 Billion Cubic Meters (BCM) of water. The state-run hydroelectric generator is currently working on a pre-feasibility report (PFR) for the project.
“It (dam) is for flood control, and electricity is a byproduct. The potential investment we took out was approx. 113,000 crores. Depending on the location of the dam and the capacity of the reservoir, its height will be 280-300 meters, NHPC Chairman and Managing Director Abhay Kumar Singh said in an interview.
Singh said that apart from water security and green energy, hydropower projects also help in controlling floods and developing fisheries. The Upper Siang project is one of the many projects that have been assigned to NHPC in Arunachal Pradesh. Noting the importance of dams in the border state to counter the dangers of unexpected water release by the northern neighbour, Singh said: “China is building a dam on the Siang known as the Brahmaputra in the lower reaches. About 75% of the water comes from our catchment area because of vegetation, but if it (China) completes the dam and opens the gate someday…” The North-East holds importance as it has four major river basins – Subansiri , Lohit, Dibang and Siang. Quoting a study by the Central Water Commission, Singh said that in each of these basins, there is a need for one reservoir. With the completion of each of the four reservoirs, the waters of the Brahmaputra at Pandu The level, a flood-prone area in Guwahati, will drop by 1.8-2 meters during peak floods. “If you lower the water level by two metres, you won’t get flooded. This is very important for flood control and saving lives. So, we need to build a big reservoir in the four valleys.”
On the Subansiri project, which has seen several bottlenecks in the past over environmental concerns, he said there has been great progress in Subansiri and the company expects to commission the two machines in August 2022. Noting that heavy rains since April have affected the dam-related works and other structures, he said the work is “progressing very well. The total capacity of the project is 2,000 megawatts (MW) and the NHPC’s target is March. Four units are to be set up by 2023. The initial target was to set up the units by August 2022.
Singh expects to complete the project by August next year. He said 2,000 MW would be commissioned in the next one year.
“In October 2019, we got the nod from the NGT (National Green Tribunal) to resume work and after that, we regrouped, started work and by March 2020, the impact of COVID was felt, which was a long time. continued till Despite the impact of COVID, we have put in a lot of work and that is why we have been able to get this into the commissioning phase.”
NHPC is also working on detailed desk study on projects in Middle Subansiri and Upper Subansiri. “We are ready to deliver another package called Divergent Tunnel… It takes at least two to three years to complete the work of the Divergent Tunnel. After its completion, we can start the dam work. Right now, we are working on these projects in Arunachal Pradesh.” Referring to the high water in Arunachal Pradesh, he said that there is high discharge in rivers due to which NHPC has taken up several projects. in the state.