NHPC's 2000-MW project delay in Assam may disturb target

NEW DELHI: The target of adding 62,000 MW of power capacity in the 11th Plan may come under pressure, as commissioning of NHPC's 2,000-MW Subansiri project in Assam is likely to be delayed by at least two years due to resistance from locals.

The project was earlier scheduled for commissioning in March, 2012. The Rs 8,000 crore project is facing severe resentment from locals in the northeastern state as they fear that the dam would impact the biodiversity and environment of the state.

"Subansiri can be commissioned by August, 2014, despite the fact that there is pressure from Assam locals," a Power Ministry official told media. The 2,000-MW Lower Subansiri project was originally due to get commissioned during the current XIth Five-Year Plan (2007-12).

Meanwhile, the Power Ministry has pulled up NHPC many times in the past for not executing projects in time and conducted review meetings seeking reasons for delays in execution of its hydro power projects, mainly the 800-MW Parbati-II project in Himachal Pradesh and the 2,000-MW Lower Subansiri project in Assam.

However, the company has always maintained that these projects have been delayed due to environment-related issues. In West Bengal, protests by the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha have hampered work on the Teesta Low Dam III (130 MW) and IV (160 MW) projects.

Not only Subansiri, geological issues have also hit NHPC's 231 MW Chamera-III project in Himachal Pradesh. Law and order problems in Jammu & Kashmir have adversely impacted work on three of the company's hydro projects, the 240-MW Uri, 45-MW Nimmo Bazgo and 44-MW Chutak projects, in the state.

NHPC was earlier scheduled to commission these three power projects during the current XIth Five-Year Plan, but these projects are now likely to miss their commissioning schedule. NHPC has an installed capacity of over 4,000 MW and plans to ramp up this capacity to over 10,000 MW by the end of the XIth Five-Year Plan (2007-2012).

If these obstacles continue to disturb the progress of these hydro projects, the planned capacity addition seems unlikely. The government plans to add 62,000 MW of electricity by the end of the current plan period.