New Delhi: India has announced an ambitious Rs 6.4 trillion ($77 billion) plan to develop and transmit over 76 gigawatts (GW) of hydroelectric power from the Brahmaputra basin by 2047, marking one of the country’s largest clean energy initiatives to date. The Central Electricity Authority (CEA), in its latest report, outlined the roadmap to strengthen the power grid and unlock the immense hydro potential of India’s northeastern states.
The blueprint covers 208 major hydro projects spread across 12 sub-basins in the region, with a combined capacity of 64.9 GW, alongside 11.1 GW from pumped storage plants. The plan aims to support India’s rising electricity demand while accelerating its transition away from fossil fuels.
The Brahmaputra River originating in Tibet and flowing through India and Bangladesh offers vast untapped hydro potential, particularly in Arunachal Pradesh, which alone accounts for 52.2 GW. However, the river’s transboundary nature and proximity to China make it strategically sensitive. India has long expressed concern over Beijing’s dam construction on the upper Yarlung Zangbo section, which could potentially reduce dry-season water flow into India by as much as 85 percent.
The basin spans parts of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Sikkim, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, and West Bengal, together representing more than 80 percent of the country’s remaining hydro potential.
The CEA’s two-phase plan estimates an investment of Rs 1.91 trillion for the first phase (up to 2035) and Rs 4.52 trillion for the second (2036–2047). Several central public sector enterprises including NHPC, NEEPCO, and SJVN are expected to play key roles, with some projects already under development.
India’s hydro expansion forms a critical part of its clean energy goals, with the government targeting 500 GW of non-fossil fuel power capacity by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
