{"id":20115145,"date":"2023-04-19T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-19T02:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thethirdpole.net\/?p=115145"},"modified":"2023-04-27T19:38:28","modified_gmt":"2023-04-27T14:08:28","slug":"what-is-driving-hydropower-construction-in-arunachal-pradesh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/what-is-driving-hydropower-construction-in-arunachal-pradesh\/","title":{"rendered":"What is driving hydropower construction in Arunachal Pradesh?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Tone Mickrow, a member of the indigenous Idu Mishmi community, lives a few hours\u2019 drive from Etalin \u2013 the proposed site of what has been envisaged as India\u2019s largest dam. Members of his community were elated that the government temporarily denied forest clearance<\/a> to the Etalin hydroelectric project in December 2022, but Mickrow remains fearful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arunachal Pradesh: Fragile, biodiverse and water-rich<\/span>
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Arunachal Pradesh is one of the most fragile regions in the Himalayas. It lies in a high seismic hazard zone and is therefore prone to earthquakes. Depleting green cover means flash floods and landslides are common. Arunachal Pradesh is also one of the world\u2019s major ecological hotspots, as it is home to many species of plants and animals, including the threatened Mishmi takin and endangered hoolock gibbon, the only apes found in India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With multiple rivers and valleys, the region is a focal area for a government determined to revive hydropower generation, despite local resistance.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Since the inception of Etalin 14 years ago, the Idu Mishmis have opposed the project on the grounds that it will devastate their livelihoods and threaten their existence. Mickrow is sceptical about the temporary relief granted by the government, as \u201chis experience with dams<\/a> in the area\u201d tells him the project will likely, eventually, go ahead. Work is underway on other mega-dam projects in Arunachal, such as the 2,000 MW Lower Subansiri and 2,880 MW Dibang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Recommended<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/a>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLarsen & Toubro [a multinational contractor] has already started working <\/a>to build the roads and bridges for the construction of [Dibang] dam to start,\u201d said Mickrow. The Lower Subansiri project is expected to be operational<\/a> this summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Renewed push for hydropower<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In early 2019, India recognised<\/a> large hydroelectric projects (HEPs with a capacity of over 25 MW) as central to its renewable energy transition. Since then, there has been a renewed push for hydropower<\/a> projects in the country, especially in the northeastern states and Jammu and Kashmir. The central government even approved a slew of measures<\/a> in 2019 giving financial support to hydropower construction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In February last year, RK Singh, the minister of power and new and renewable energy, said in Parliament: \u201cThe development of hydropower is of paramount importance as it is clean, green, sustainable, renewable, non-polluting and environmental [sic] friendly,\u201d adding that it provided the \u201ccheapest energy in the long run\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The minister spoke<\/a> of constructing 70 HEPs in 18 states over 10 years. He also said that 36 large HEPs in total are under construction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The high price of hydropower<\/span>
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Billed by many governments as a \u2018clean, green alternative\u2019 to fossil fuels, multiple studies have highlighted the socio-economic, environmental and human costs of building mega-dams. In the past, The Third Pole has reported on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n