Brahmaputra Hydro Power Evacuation Plan Released

New Delhi, Oct 13 (PTI) The government on Monday released a plan for the evacuation of 65 GW of hydroelectric generation capacity from the Brahmaputra basin at an investment of Rs 6,42,944 crore.

As per the 'Master Plan For Evacuation OF Power From Hydroelectric Plants In Brahmaputra Basin' prepared by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), setting up of 10,000 ckm of transmission line, 30 GVA (gigavolt-ampere) of transformation capacity, and 12 GW (gigawatt) of HVDC (High-Voltage Direct Current) is required to evacuate the power from 12 sub-basins by 2035.

Beyond 2035, the addition of 21,475 ckm transmission lines (including 15,000 ckm HVDC corridor) and 68,175 MVA capacity (including 30,000 MW HVDC) with an estimated cost of Rs 4,51,935 crore will be required.

Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal said to meet the rising demand and ensure long-term energy security, India, being one of the world's fastest-growing economies, must develop energy sources that are sustainable, economical and reliable.

Harnessing hydro power is critical-not only as a key source of renewable electricity but also as a highly flexible resource that supports the optimal integration of renewable and conventional energy sources, he added.

In view of the substantial hydroelectric potential identified within the Brahmaputra basin, it was felt that a comprehensive transmission system plan was needed for the evacuation of power from this assessed potential.

Consequently, a transmission system master plan has been formulated, CEA Chairman Ghanshyam Prasad said.

The master plan also proposes 11,130 MW of hydroelectric potential of Pumped Storage Plants (PSPs) to be pooled at ISTS and the Intra-State transmission system.

The master plan will provide visibility to developers of the hydroelectric projects in the Brahmaputra Basin regarding the evacuation of power.

Although the transmission system has been planned, transmission elements will be taken up for implementation based on the applications received by the nodal agencies, as per regulations.

The proposed HVDC links may be considered at higher capacity, or high-capacity AC links may be planned, depending on the requirement and technology available at the time of implementation.