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Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for Industrial Info (Galway, Ireland)--India plans to spend 6.4 trillion rupees (US$77 billion) to export more than 76 gigawatts (GW) of hydroelectric capacity from the Brahmaputra Basin in the northeast of the country to the national grid over the next two decades.
The country's power planning body, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), has outlined the massive undertaking to meet rising electricity demand and its goals to replace fossil-fuel power with renewables and nuclear power. The 'masterplan' identifies 208 potential projects above 25 megawatts (MW) in size with a cumulative installed capacity of almost 69 GW, with an additional 11.1GW expected from pumped‑storage hydro plants. All are located across 12 sub‑basins in the northeastern states with Arunachal Pradesh, which runs along the border with China, accounting for more than 80% of the total installed potential, followed by Siang (18.7GW), Subansiri (12.3GW), Dibang (8.8GW), Lohit (6.8GW), Kameng (3.3GW), and Barak (4.6GW). The projects will be located on the 3,000-kilometer (km) Brahmaputra River, which starts in Tibet and flows through China to India and Bangladesh. The pumped storage projects are located mainly in the Barak and Kalang (Kopili) sub-basins, with the key projects being:
"Given the vast hydro potential to the tune of 65 GW in 12 sub-basins of the Brahmaputra Basin, the need for a comprehensive transmission system to evacuate · power from these hydroelectric projects became critical," said CEA Member Vijay Kumar Singh. "In response, a Master Plan for Evacuation of Power from Hydroelectric Plants in the Brahmaputra Basin has been developed. The plan proposes the development of 10 thousand ckm of transmission lines, 30 GVA of transformation capacity, and 12 GW of HVDC by the year 2035. I believe this Master Plan will serve as a valuable resource for all stakeholders by aiding the development of a reliable and resilient transmission infrastructure, ensuring the efficient evacuation of hydro power, and delivering reliable electricity to consumers across the country."
According to the CEA: "Universal access to affordable power in a sustainable manner has been the guiding principle for the power sector. The power sector will play a key role to address the challenges related to climate change and meet the various commitments made by India at the global forum. India is reducing its dependence on fossil-based energy and shifting to cleaner and renewable energy sources at a fast pace." Industrial Info reported recently that India plans to more than double its nuclear capacity of 8.8 GW by 2032 on its way to achieving 100 GW of capacity by 2047. Nuclear, along with renewables, will be pivotal in transitioning the country away from fossil fuels, which account for 240 GW (50.5%) of its energy total. For additional information, see August 14, 2025, article--India Commits to Major Nuclear Power Expansion.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
The country's power planning body, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), has outlined the massive undertaking to meet rising electricity demand and its goals to replace fossil-fuel power with renewables and nuclear power. The 'masterplan' identifies 208 potential projects above 25 megawatts (MW) in size with a cumulative installed capacity of almost 69 GW, with an additional 11.1GW expected from pumped‑storage hydro plants. All are located across 12 sub‑basins in the northeastern states with Arunachal Pradesh, which runs along the border with China, accounting for more than 80% of the total installed potential, followed by Siang (18.7GW), Subansiri (12.3GW), Dibang (8.8GW), Lohit (6.8GW), Kameng (3.3GW), and Barak (4.6GW). The projects will be located on the 3,000-kilometer (km) Brahmaputra River, which starts in Tibet and flows through China to India and Bangladesh. The pumped storage projects are located mainly in the Barak and Kalang (Kopili) sub-basins, with the key projects being:
- Panyor PSP (660 MW) -- Arunachal Pradesh
- Wah Umiam PSP (800 MW) -- Meghalaya
- Longtharai PSP (800 MW) -- Tripura
- Ouguri PSP (900 MW) and Tharakunji PSP (900 MW) -- Assam
- Daizo Lui PSP (2,400 MW) and Tuiphai Lui PSP (1,650 MW) -- Mizoram
"Given the vast hydro potential to the tune of 65 GW in 12 sub-basins of the Brahmaputra Basin, the need for a comprehensive transmission system to evacuate · power from these hydroelectric projects became critical," said CEA Member Vijay Kumar Singh. "In response, a Master Plan for Evacuation of Power from Hydroelectric Plants in the Brahmaputra Basin has been developed. The plan proposes the development of 10 thousand ckm of transmission lines, 30 GVA of transformation capacity, and 12 GW of HVDC by the year 2035. I believe this Master Plan will serve as a valuable resource for all stakeholders by aiding the development of a reliable and resilient transmission infrastructure, ensuring the efficient evacuation of hydro power, and delivering reliable electricity to consumers across the country."
According to the CEA: "Universal access to affordable power in a sustainable manner has been the guiding principle for the power sector. The power sector will play a key role to address the challenges related to climate change and meet the various commitments made by India at the global forum. India is reducing its dependence on fossil-based energy and shifting to cleaner and renewable energy sources at a fast pace." Industrial Info reported recently that India plans to more than double its nuclear capacity of 8.8 GW by 2032 on its way to achieving 100 GW of capacity by 2047. Nuclear, along with renewables, will be pivotal in transitioning the country away from fossil fuels, which account for 240 GW (50.5%) of its energy total. For additional information, see August 14, 2025, article--India Commits to Major Nuclear Power Expansion.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
