NHPC to resume work of Lower Subansiri project soon

The NHPC Limited on Friday said that work for the stalled 2000 MW Lower Subansiri hydro power projectat Gerukamukh along the Arunachal Pradesh-Assam border would resume soon. “All materials, engineers, field staff are already there and once the water level recedes, the work for the dam will be resumed,” NHPC Ltd CMD Balraj Joshi told reporters in New Delhi. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had recently dismissed petitions seeking reconstitution of a six-member expert committee virtually paving the way for the construction of the mega dam.

“The project will be commissioned within four years after restart of the work. The levelized tariff shall be Rs 5.86/ per unit,” said Joshi. The initial cost of the project was Rs 6,285.33 crore however now it has increased three times. NHPC has invested close to Rs 8000 Crore. The revised cost estimate of the project is Rs 17,000 Crore. The NHPC had started work on the project in 2009 but had to halt the construction work after a series of protests by several organisation including AASU and KMSS.

Referring to the 2880 MW Dibang multipurpose project, Joshi said that the NHPC will start its work at the earliest. “It will help in mitigating the flood problem of Assam and neighbouring region,” said Joshi. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has recently accorded approval for the expenditure on pre-investment activities and various other clearances for 2880 MW Dibang project amounting to Rs 1600 crore.

Meanwhile, India is constructing underground caverns and semi underground bunkers at various locations along the India-China border. “NHPC has signed an MoU with the Indian army for construction of underground caverns and semi underground bunkers at various locations across India on turnkey basis,” said Joshi. He said that if the project becomes successful “more such bunkers will be constructed along the border…no doubt this is being built for security reasons.”