Indian Government recommends to scrap hydro projects in Arunachal Pradesh state

India’s power ministry has recommended scrapping as many as nearly 100 hydroelectric projects awarded to private and state-run developers in Arunachal Pradesh, a senior ministry official said.

The ministry, however, has also offered assistance for faster clearances and fast-tracking implementation of 13 projects with 13,600MW of capacity in Arunachal Pradesh, the official told Cogencis.

NHPC’s 3,000 MW Dibang multipurpose project, 800 MW Tawang-II and 600 MW Tawang-I project, Reliance Power’s 1,000MW Siyom power plant, 700MW Tato-II plant, KSK Ventures’ 120MW Dibbin plant, Jaiprakash Power Ventures’s 500MW Hirong plant and Patel Engineering’s 144 MW Gongri Project are among the 13 projects, the official said.

"We have identified several hydro power projects in the country. We are taking them step by step. In the first go, we will take up the 13 biggest projects," the official added.

The ministry sent a note seeking environment and forest approval for Tawang, Tato and Teesta hydel power projects to the Cabinet Committee of Investment earlier this year.

Economic Times cited the official as saying, "We are reviewing the progress of hydro projects on weekly basis since there is barely any progress in execution due to various reasons."

"The ministry has recommended the Arunachal Pradesh government to de-allocate about 45 projects where developers have not even applied for forest clearances."

The government planned to increase 90,000MW capacity, which includes 30,000MW of hydroelectric power, aimed to meet the nation’s demand and energy requirement at the end of 12th Plan, Free Press Journal reported.