India's $77 Billion Hydroelectric Expansion Plan for Brahmaputra Basin Amid Regional Water Security Concerns

The Brahmaputra basin contains over 80% of India's untapped hydroelectric potential, according to official reports.

New Delhi:

India's Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has unveiled an ambitious Rs 6.4 trillion ($77 billion) transmission plan aimed at harnessing more than 76 gigawatts of hydroelectric capacity from the Brahmaputra basin by 2047, responding to the nation's growing electricity demands.

In a report published Monday, the CEA outlined plans encompassing 208 large hydroelectric projects across 12 sub-basins in northeastern states. These projects represent 64.9 GW of potential capacity, with an additional 11.1 GW expected from pumped-storage plants.

The Brahmaputra River, which originates in Tibet, China, before flowing through India and Bangladesh, offers substantial hydroelectric potential along its Indian stretch, particularly in Arunachal Pradesh along the Chinese border.

The transboundary nature of the basin and its proximity to China elevate water management and infrastructure development to strategic concerns. India has expressed worries that Chinese dam construction on the Yarlung Zangbo (the river's name in its upper course) could potentially reduce dry-season water flow on the Indian side by as much as 85 percent.

The Brahmaputra basin extends across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Sikkim, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, and West Bengal. According to the report, Arunachal Pradesh alone accounts for 52.2 GW of the basin's hydroelectric potential.

The implementation plan is divided into two phases: phase one, extending to 2035, requires an investment of Rs 1.91 trillion, while phase two will necessitate Rs 4.52 trillion.

The CEA's comprehensive plan incorporates projects already allocated to central public sector utilities including NHPC, NEEPCO, and SJVN, with several initiatives already in development.

This hydroelectric expansion aligns with India's broader energy goals of reducing fossil fuel dependence by developing 500 GW of non-fossil power generation capacity by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.