ITANAGAR, 25 Oct: The NHPC Limited launched the wet commissioning of the unit-1 (250 MW) of its ambitious 2,000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (HEP) on 24 October, following a successful mechanical run of the turbine, marking the beginning of operation of the project.
Attending the event, NHPC Chairman Bhupender Gupta described the achievement as more than a project milestone, stating that it symbolizes India’s unstoppable march towards a cleaner, greener, and self-reliant energy future, he added.
“This milestone is a shining testament to the NHPC’s engineering prowess and India’s growing stature in world-class infrastructure,” he said.
Gupta thanked the union Ministry of Power, the Governments of both Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, past NHPC leaders, the dedicated Subansiri team, executing partners, and all stakeholders.
The NHPC is also planning to bring three additional 250 MW units online this year to inject a total of 1,000 MW into the national grid, the power developer stated in a release.
“Once fully operational, the eight-unit (8 x 250 MW) Subansiri Lower HEP will stand as India’s premier hydroelectric facility, powering millions of households and bolstering the country’s energy resilience,” the NHPC release said.
Launched in January 2005 at Gerukamukh on the Arunachal-Assam border, the project has navigated significant hurdles. Construction halted for eight years (2011-2019) amid protests in Assam and legal challenges over potential downstream environmental effects. Following enhanced mitigation strategies, work resumed in October 2019, paving the way for this triumphant phase, the release added.
Executive Director and Project Head Rajendra Prasad, NHPC directors, and senior executives from the corporate office and site were present on the occasion.
