NHPC firming up Rs 30k cr investment plan for Arunachal power project

NEW DELHI: NHPC Ltd is firming up an investment proposal for its mega 3,000-megawatt Etalin hydropower project in Arunachal Pradesh, envisaging an investment of around Rs 30,000 crore, said people close to the development.

The project was given to SJVN Ltd by the state before it was given to NHPC in November last year.

Etalin was among the hydropower projects that were earlier allotted to private sector developers about 15 years ago but could not start due to approval delays.


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The state government then decided to bring in central hydro public sector undertakings to give a push to the languishing projects.

In response to an emailed query by ET, NHPC said that the signing of memorandum of agreement with Arunachal Pradesh is underway and the project proposal is under approval.

The Etalin plant is being envisaged as a run-of-the-river project involving the construction of two concrete gravity dams on Dri and Tangon rivers, tributaries of Dibang river.

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The plant is in the Dibang Valley district of Arunachal Pradesh, where NHPC is implementing a 2,880 MW Dibang Multipurpose project in the lower reaches of the river in the state.

NHPC was assigned Etalin Hydroelectric Project by the Centre in November 2025 for further development, following its earlier transfer to SJVN Limited. The state conveyed its in-principle approval for the transfer in December last year.

The move comes close after the Cabinet approved two hydro projects this week in Arunachal Pradesh worth Rs 40,000 crore.