NEW DELHI: The expert appraisal committee of the Union environment ministry has approved the 2,220MW Oju hydroelectric project, which is situated in a strategically significant area of Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Subansiri district, adjacent to China.
As one of the largest run-of-river hydroelectric projects in India, it is expected to cost approximately Rs 25,000 crore and will likely require a minimum of five years for completion. This project ranks as India’s third-largest hydroelectric initiative to receive environmental clearance, following the 3,087MW Etalin and 2,880MW Dibang projects, both located in Arunachal Pradesh.
The panel has instructed the establishment of a real-time early warning system for the project: Oju is the largest among a series of dams proposed on the Subansiri river and has been under consideration for nearly two decades. The project includes a 100-meter-high concrete gravity dam, a headrace tunnel exceeding 14 km in length, and an underground powerhouse complex.
In granting approval for the project earlier this month, the expert appraisal committee directed the developer to incorporate ‘glacial lake outburst floods’ scenarios into the design flood estimates, implement a real-time early warning system, and carry out community preparedness drills. Additionally, the panel has required a post-commissioning environmental impact assessment to be conducted after five years.
