Upper Siang Hydroelectric Project

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The Upper Siang Hydroelectric Project consists of the construction of several hydroelectric power dams in the Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh, India. Construction work on the project was commenced by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) in April 2009 and various hydro dams will be constructed in phases over a span of 15–20 years. [1]

Contents

The main dam is being constructed across river Siang, a tributary of river Brahmaputra and upon completion, the dam reservoir will hold 10 billion cubic meters of water. The hydro power project at Siang will alone generate between 10,000 and 12,000 MW, making it the largest hydroelectric dam in the Indian Subcontinent. [2]

Concerns

Concern on Upstream Flooding

In 2006, Indian media reported that the NHPC was planning to relocate and scale down the project due to concerns on flooding upstream by Chinese government. [3] However, the Arunachal Pradesh government has awarded contracts and commenced work on the project as per initial plans.

The state government of Arunachal Pradesh signed deals with various Indian power companies to develop hydro projects. A total of 42 schemes are planned to generate electricity in excess of 27,000 MW with the Upper Siang project being one of them. [4]

Environmental impact

In 2010, a student body appealed to India's Environment Ministry to scrap various hydroelectric projects (including Siang project) in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh due to potential adverse environmental impact. [5] However, the Ministry remarked that though the projects will not be cancelled, necessary precautions will be undertaken to ensure minimal environmental impact. [6]

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Arunachal Pradesh is a state in Northeastern India. It was formed from the erstwhile North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) region, and became a state on 20 February 1987. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south. It shares international borders with Bhutan in the west, Myanmar in the east, and a disputed border with China in the north at the McMahon Line. Itanagar is the state capital of Arunachal Pradesh. Arunachal Pradesh is the largest of the Seven Sister States of Northeast India by area. Arunachal Pradesh shares a 1,129 km border with China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salal Dam</span> Dam in Jammu and Kashmir

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hydroelectric power in India</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuting</span> Town in Arunachal Pradesh, India

Tuting is a town and headquarters of an eponymous circle in the Upper Siang district in Arunachal Pradesh, India. It is situated on the bank of Siang river (Brahmaputra) at a distance of 34 km (21 mi) south of Line of Actual Control and 170 km (110 mi) north of Yingkiong. Tuting is the center of an assembly constituency, and also home to an Indian Military headquarters. The border area reports frequent incursion attempts by the Chinese People's Liberation Army, including an attempt to construct a road in Indian territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kopili Hydro Electric Project</span> Hydroelectric Power project in Assam, India

Kopili Hydro Electric Project is a 275 megawatts (369,000 hp), hydroelectric power project on the Kopili river and its tributary, Umrong stream. It is located in Dima Hasao district of Assam state in India. The project is developed and operated by North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited. It is an important project since the indian State of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura benefit from this project.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SJVN</span> Indian power generation company

SJVN, formerly known as Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam, is an Indian public sector undertaking involved in hydroelectric power generation and transmission. It was incorporated in 1988 as Nathpa Jhakri Power Corporation, a joint venture between Government of India and Government of Himachal Pradesh. The company has a total operating hydropower capacity of 1912 MW through its two hydropower plants—Nathpa Jhakri and Rampur. In addition, it has an installed capacity of 97.6 MW of wind power and 81.9 MW of solar power.

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