The Hindu Business Line : Arunachal hydel project may be scaled down on Chinese concern

THE ambitious 11,000-MW Siang Upper project — which would have been the country's largest power project and the world's third largest — is likely to be scaled down to around 5,000 MW, mainly due to environmental concerns raised by China.

The Chinese administration has requested for a scaling down of the project, which is being constructed by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) in Arunachal Pradesh, in the wake of an anticipated submergence of Chinese territory across the Arunachal border during the construction stage.

The survey and investigation works for the preparation of a feasibility report is currently in progress, with the project originally scheduled for commissioning during the Twelfth Five-Year Plan.

Progress on the project had been held up for some time now, mainly on account of lack of vital inputs from the Chinese side required during the pre-feasibility stage.

The data included hydrological and meteorological data, largely because a major portion of the catchment area for the project falls in Tibet.

The Chinese authorities have, meanwhile, taken up the issue of submergence of its territory with the Centre and NHPC is likely to go in for a review of the project size, Government officials said.

Had the Siang Upper project come up in its originally envisaged gargantuan size, it would have been third in terms of size in the world, after the Three Gorges Project (being developed by China) and the Itaipu project, which is already operational in Brazil.

The Itaipu project is currently the largest hydropower plant in the world with a 12,600-MW installed capacity, while the Three Gorges project, currently under construction on the Yangtze river, would have a total capacity of 18,200 MW upon completion. The Itaipu Hydroelectric Power Plant is located on the Parana River and straddles Brazil and Paraguay.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests provided the site clearance (Stage-I) for the Siang Upper project in December 2003.

The clearance was subject to a reduction in the dam height to avoid submergence of Tuting Monastery and Dihang-Dibang Bio-Sphere reserve in Arunachal Pradesh.

Besides the Siang Upper, NHPC is developing the Siang Lower Project (with a capacity of 1,600 MW) and the Siang Middle Project (with a capacity of 1,000 MW) in Arunachal Pradesh.

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