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Big boost to power in NE: 2 units of 2000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydro Electric Project to be operational from June

First Published: 15th March, 2023 12:33 IST

Vipin Gupta, the Executive Director of NHPC informed that work on the rest of the project is expected to be completed by June 2024

In some good news for the power sector of Northeast, two units of the 2000-megawatt (MW) Subansiri Lower Hydro Electric Project (SLHEP) will start functioning from June this year producing around 500 MW, National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Executive Director Vipin Gupta told Northeast Live.

Gupta said that if there is no further hindrance by inclement weather conditions, two units of the mega dam each having the capacity to produce 250 megawatts of hydropower will start production. Work on the rest of the project is expected to be completed by June 2024.

“The dam is expected to be completed by May end and then in June we intend to commission at least two units and the balance units will be commissioned or will be operated in a phased manner by June 2024. So the whole 2000 megawatts will be available by 2024 June.” Vipin Gupta said.

On the series of mishaps that had occurred during the construction of the mega-dam and concerns raised by environmentalists and local people, the Executive Director said that all faults had been rectified and assured that there is no reason to worry.

He also informed that due to a series of delays, the cost of the project has gone up by 3 times from Rs 7000 crores to Rs 20,000 crores.

Speaking on the employment generation by the project will provide for the people of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, Gupta informed that at present, 7000 workers from both states are working at the project site in Gerukamukh.

“More than 7000 workforces are working with me and most of them around 85 to 90 percent are from Assam. It has given livelihood to more than 6000 families,” Gupta said.

Recently, Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowan Mein, who is also the Power Minister, visited the project and took stock of the ongoing construction works going at the site.

Also Read: Is Lower Subansiri Dam at risk due to incessant rains in A’chal?

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