The Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project, India’s largest hydropower venture with an installed capacity of 2,000 MW, is on the brink of becoming operational. On Sunday, a senior delegation from the Ministry of Power, led by Secretary Pankaj Agarwal, visited the dam site at Dollungmukh on the Assam–Arunachal Pradesh border to inspect final preparations.
Accompanied by NHPC Chairman and Managing Director Rajendra Prasad Goyal and Director (Projects) Sanjay Kumar Singh, Agarwal conducted a comprehensive review to ensure that all systems are ready for commissioning. The Subansiri project, being developed by NHPC Limited, has long been considered a cornerstone in India’s push for clean energy in the Northeast.
Local leaders, including Dollungmukh Zilla Parishad Member Nido Aruni Bini and MLA Rotom Tebin, welcomed the officials and reiterated the region’s expectations from the long-awaited project. Tebin drew attention to the upcoming 1,700 MW Kamala Hydroelectric Project in Kamle district and emphasized the urgent need to upgrade the Tamen–Dollungmukh Road, which is crucial for logistical access and regional development.
He urged the central government to prioritize the road project, saying it would not only facilitate the Kamala project but also boost connectivity and economic activity across the remote border districts.
Responding to the concerns, Secretary Agarwal assured that the Power Ministry would work with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to accelerate the road’s construction and ensure coordinated development planning in the region.
Agarwal’s two-day tour also included a stop on Saturday at the NHPC’s Siang Basin Projects office in Pasighat, East Siang district, where he reviewed progress on a cluster of hydropower projects planned across Arunachal Pradesh.
The Subansiri project, which has seen years of delays due to environmental and social concerns, now signals a major shift in the Northeast’s energy landscape and has the potential to provide a stable power supply to several states while generating significant royalty revenue for both Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
