India’s Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the Rs16bn (£187.3m) investment for pre-investment activities for the proposed 2.8GW Dibang Multipurpose Project (Dibang MPP) in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
Estimated to cost Rs280.8bn (£3.2bn), the project is a hydropower cum flood moderation scheme planned to be built on Dibang River in Lower Dibang Valley District of Arunachal Pradesh.
Dibang project to take nine years to complete
The project is planned to take nine years to complete from the receipt of the India Government’s approval.
Expected to be the largest of its kind India, the project will comprise 12 generation unites each capacity of 240MW. It will have capacity to produce 11,223MU of energy in a 90% dependable year.
The government said in a statement: “This is the largest ever Hydro Electric Projects to be constructed in India.”
The project involves construction of a 278m high concrete gravity dam (above deepest foundation level), and 6 Nos. horseshoe-shaped head race tunnels of length varying from 300m to 600m.
Additionally, the project involves an underground power house and 6 Nos. horseshoe-shaped tail race tunnels of length varying from 320m to 470m.
The Government of Arunachal Pradesh will receive 12% free power from the project, which will have an operational life of 40 years.
Designed to be flood restraint, the multipurpose project has already secured approvals statutory clearances form TEC, Environment Clearance, Forest Clearance (Stage-l) and Defence Clearance.
The project is due to secure Forest Clearance (Stage-II) for seeking investment sanction from the Indian government.
The approval of expenditure on pre-investment activities will enable payment towards compensation for land acquisition and R&R activities.
The government stated: “Dibang Multipurpose Project (Dibang MPP) is envisaged as a storage based hydro-electric project with flood moderation as the key objective. The construction of Dibang MPP shall prevent the sizeable downstream area from floods.
“After implementation of master plan of Brahmaputra Board for flood moderation of all rivers contributing to river Brahmaputra, of which Dibang MPP is one of the component, sizable area will be protected from flooding and help in mitigating the perennial damage due to floods in Assam.”
