NHPC submits pre-feasibility report on Upper Siang hydroelectric project, as counter to China’s dam on Brahmaputra

The production of hydel power from the project is “simply a byproduct’’, say sources in the NHPC, pointing out that the main purpose of the project is to counter China’s water diversion scheme to the Yarlung Tsangpo river in China – which flows into Arunachal as the Siang and then as the Brahmaputra in Assam.

“China is building several hydroelectric projects on the Tsangpo. But one of the biggest is a 60 GW dam which is being constructed, and it is on the neck of Arunachal Pradesh in Medong. It is a part of China’s ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, but also to divert water to northern China which is water scarce. This is a major concern for India, as the diversion of water will lead to a thinning of the river water during our peak season. As well as a possible release of water will lead to major flooding,’’ said a senior official.

India’s solution to the problem is the Upper Siang project, which will act as a reservoir. In the event of a diversion of water by China, the massive reservoir will be able to feed Arunachal Pradesh and its irrigation requirements, said officials.

Officials added that a flurry of more dams is coming up in China, with construction underway of a 360 MW dam at Gyatso and a 560 MW dam at Jiexu. Three more dams – 640 MW at Dagu, 710 MW dam at Bayu and 800 MW dam at Zhongyu – are in advanced stages of planning, they said.

For India, they said, Brahmaputra accounts for 30 per cent of freshwater resources and 40 per cent of the total hydroelectric power potential of the country. The Upper Siang reservoir will store 9 billion cubic meters of water, said officials.