21 November 2022.
Introduction:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the Kameng hydropower project to the nation.
About Kameng hydropower station
- The 600 MW Kameng hydropower project was developed by the state-owned North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO).
- It is situated in Arunachal Pradesh’s West Kameng district.
- Stretching across more than 80 km, this project was developed at the cost of some Rs.8,200 crore.
- This run-of-the-river scheme makes use of the flows from Bichom and Tenga rivers – the tributaries of River Kameng.
- It has 2 dams (Bichom and Tenga) and a powerhouse having four units of 150 MW each to generate 3,353 million units of electricity each year.
- The water from the two dams is transported via a Head Race Tunnel into the powerhouse in West Kameng to drive 150 MW vertical turbine in each of the four units.
How will the project benefit Arunachal Pradesh?
The project will contribute towards making Arunachal Pradesh a power-surplus state. It will enable the state to receive a share of 83 MW power. In 2022-23, the state is likely to have a power surplus both in terms of peak demand and energy requirements on yearly basis for the year 2022-23. The yearly demand for power in Arunachal Pradesh is 851 million units. The state will have 1,373 million units available. This creates a surplus of 521 million units.
Besides generating revenue, this project will also increase job opportunities for educated youth and promote industrialization of the region.
The project will be a major step towards achieving India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) pledged under the 2015 Paris Agreement. It will be part of the projected hydro capacity addition of 30,000 MW by the end of the present decade.
What is Arunachal Pradesh have hydropower potential?
Arunachal Pradesh accounts for 40% of India’s hydropower potential. Therefore, this state is considered the “powerhouse of India”. It is endowed with a hydropower potential of 50,064 MW. Despite this huge potential, the actual utilization is less than 800 MW. Several hydropower projects are being implemented by the central and state governments to address this gap.