Kamal Ghorui
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved investments totalling Rs 40,150 crore for two major hydropower projects in Arunachal Pradesh, aimed at strengthening renewable energy capacity and regional infrastructure.The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared the Kamala Hydro Electric Project (1,720 MW) and the Kalai-II Hydro Electric Project (1,200 MW), both to be developed through joint ventures between central PSUs and the state government.
Kamala project
“The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved investment of Rs 26,069.50 crore for construction of Kamala Hydro Electric Project (HEP) in Kamle, Kra Daadi & Kurung Kumey districts of Arunachal Pradesh,” an official statement said, adding the estimated completion period for the project is 96 months.The Kamala project, to be developed by NHPC Ltd in partnership with the state government, will have eight units of 210 MW each and one unit of 40 MW. It is expected to generate about 6,870 million units of electricity annually, aiding peak demand management, grid balancing and flood moderation in the Brahmaputra basin.“There will be significant improvement in the infrastructure in Kamle, Kra Daadi & Kurung Kumey Districts of Arunachal Pradesh, including the development of around 196 kms of roads and bridges, for the project which shall be mostly available for local use,” the statement said.The project will also fund development of hospitals, schools and marketplaces, with local communities benefiting from compensation, employment and CSR initiatives.
Kalai-II project
The CCEA “approved investment of Rs 14,105.83 crore for construction of Kalai-II Hydro Electric Project (HEP) on Lohit river in Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh. The estimated completion period for the project is 78 months,” the statement said.The Kalai-II project, to be executed by THDC India Limited with the state government, will comprise six units of 190 MW each and one unit of 60 MW, and is expected to generate around 4,853 million units annually.“There will be significant improvement in infrastructure in Namsai and Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh, including the development of around 29 kilometres of roads and bridges, for the project, which shall be mostly available for local use. Local populace shall also be benefited from many sorts of compensations, employment and CSR activities,” it added.The Centre will provide support for enabling infrastructure such as roads, bridges and transmission lines, along with financial assistance for the state’s equity participation. Both projects will allocate 12% free power to host states and 1% for Local Area Development Funds.The projects are expected to drive socio-economic development in remote regions through job creation, infrastructure expansion and improved connectivity.These approvals come alongside ongoing hydropower developments in the state, including Subansiri Lower (2,000 MW), Dibang Multipurpose (2,880 MW) and Etalin (3,097 MW), reinforcing Arunachal Pradesh’s role in India’s renewable energy expansion and energy security strategy.
