₹6.4 trillion master plan targets 65 Gw power from Brahmaputra waters

The power ministry's Rs 6.4-lakh-crore master plan charts 31,000 km of transmission lines and 68 GVA capacity to draw hydropower from Arunachal Pradesh and the North-East

The Ministry of Power has drawn up a master plan for the evacuation of 65 gigawatts (Gw) of hydroelectricity from the Brahmaputra river basin, outlining an investment of ₹6.4 trillion to set up transmission lines that will carry power from projects in the North East, primarily Arunachal Pradesh.

 

The plan, prepared by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) in consultation with other government departments, proposes the addition of over 31,000 circuit kilometres of transmission lines, 68 gigavolt-amperes (GVA) of transformation capacity, and 42 Gw of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) carrying capacity.

 

Hydropower projects currently contribute 50 Gw to India’s total installed generation capacity of 495 Gw. The country’s transmission network spans 496,000 circuit kilometres with 1,375 GVA of power transformation capacity.

 

The master plan is divided into two phases -- up to 2035 and beyond -- covering both Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) and dedicated transmission corridors. The ministry held multiple consultations with Central Transmission Utility Limited (CTUIL), Grid-India, the governments of North East states, and public sector firms including NHPC, SJVN, THDC, and NEEPCO.

 

“Total expected expenditure on the required transmission system, including new projects and augmentation of existing substations, will be about ₹6,42,944 crore,” said the power ministry in the master plan document. This includes capital expenditure of ₹1,91,009 crore up to 2035, and ₹4,51,935 crore beyond that period.

 

The CEA’s 2022 report on India’s hydropower potential estimated the Brahmaputra basin’s capacity at 69,135 Mw, comprising 224 projects of more than 25 Mw each. The basin is divided into 12 sub-basins, including Dibang, Siang, Lohit, Subansiri, Kameng, Teesta, and Barak.

 

According to the CEA’s latest estimates, the exploitable hydroelectric potential in the basin stands at 64,945 Mw, which includes 4,807 Mw from existing projects and 2,000 Mw under construction. The ministry has also factored in 11,130 Mw of pump storage projects (PSPs) in the region.

 

“The master plan will provide visibility to developers of hydroelectric projects in the Brahmaputra basin regarding power evacuation. Although the transmission system has been planned, elements will be taken up for implementation based on applications received by the nodal agencies as per regulations,” the document noted.

 

The proposed HVDC links may be upgraded to higher capacity or replaced by high-capacity alternating current (AC) links, depending on future requirements and available technology.

 

The Brahmaputra basin covers about 580,000 square kilometres, with China accounting for 50.5 per cent, India 33.6 per cent, Bangladesh 8.1 per cent and Bhutan 7.8 per cent. Within India, the river’s catchment area extends across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Sikkim, spanning 1,94,413 square kilometres.