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Indian Express
24-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
India, China and the Brahmaputra front
Last week, the Chinese government started work on the construction of a massive hydropower project on the Yarlung Zangbo, just before the river bends and enters Arunachal Pradesh, where it is called the Siang. The river then flows into Assam, where it is called the Brahmaputra. The $170 billion project, linked to Beijing's developmental goals in the Tibetan region, is expected to generate 60 GW of electricity, roughly three times more than the Three Gorges Dam. The project has stirred old anxieties in the river's downstream, especially in Arunachal Pradesh and Bangladesh. Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu has described the Chinese project as a 'ticking water bomb'. An increase in the Chinese capacity to manipulate the river's flows once the dam is constructed could increase the risks of floods in the country's Northeast, he has said. The fact that very little is known of the project's storage capacity has aggravated the unease. The risk could also stem from sudden surges in downstream flows — from unannounced water releases or from increased discharge as a result of the warming climate or even engineering errors. Hydrology experts fear that the Chinese project could disrupt water flow to the hydro projects proposed in the country's Northeast — the region holds nearly half of India's hydropower potential, over 80 per cent of which remains untapped. India's Brahmaputra predicament is unlike that of most lower riparian states. The river gains most of its volume only after it enters Arunachal Pradesh, fed by largely river-fed tributaries in the Eastern Himalaya, such as the Lohit and the Dibang. In the Brahmaputra's lower riparian regions, the unpredictability of flood patterns is already a big challenge. The fears about inundation due to the river's changing flows are, therefore, not unfounded. In 2013, India and China signed a MoU on sharing information on river flows. But, by all accounts, Beijing has not always been open to sharing hydrological data. A more effective response to the Chinese dam would be to build up the defences of vulnerable regions in the Northeast. In 2017, when the Yarlung Zangbo dam was still at a planning stage, Niti Aayog had proposed a multipurpose project in the Siang region as a strategic counter to the Chinese hydro station. Besides generating electricity, the project's storage facility can cushion the Northeast from the risks of being flooded by water released from the Chinese dam. However, work on the Siang dam has progressed at a slow pace, largely because a section of the local population has opposed the project. The Ministry of Jal Shakti tasked the National Hydro Power Corporation to prepare a pre-feasibility report but vital investigations have not been conducted. Fears about displacement and livelihood losses have found expression in the opposition to the Siang project. The political class and technical experts must come together to build safeguards and remove such apprehensions. The work on building storage facilities downstream of the Brahmaputra cannot be postponed.
The Hindu
27-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
ACME Solar Holdings wins NHPC tender for two BESS projects in Andhra Pradesh
ACME Solar Holdings Limited emerged as the successful bidder for the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC)'s tender for a cumulative capacity of 275 MW / 550 MWh standalone Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects in Andhra Pradesh (A.P.) across two projects at Kuppam (Chittoor) and Gani (Kurnool). According to an official release, the company's winning bid for the Kuppam project was at a tariff of ₹2,10,000 per MW per month with a capacity of 50 MW / 100 MWh. Its bid for the Gani project was at a tariff of ₹2,22,000 per MW per month with a capacity of 225 MW / 450 MWh. The projects require system availability for two full operational cycles of two hours each every day. ACME Solar will receive a Viability Gap Funding (VGF) of ₹27 lakh per MWh or 30% of the total project cost, whichever is lower. ACME Solar Holdings Chief Commercial Officer Rahula Kashyapa has said that the projects reflect the firm's commitment to pioneer innovative clean energy solutions that strengthen India's grid reliability and accelerate the nation's renewable energy transition. 'We are proud to support A.P.'s vision for sustainable growth and energy security. We look forward to delivering the projects that set new benchmarks for reliability, efficiency and positive community impact', Mr. Kashyapa stated. ACME Solar Holdings is a leading integrated renewable energy player with a diversified portfolio of 6,970 MW and 550 MWh spanning solar, wind, storage, Firm & Dispatchable Renewable Energy (FDRE) and hybrid solutions. The operational capacity stands at 2,890 MW with another 4,080 MW and 550 MWh in various stages of implementation.
Hindustan Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Tensions bring shelved Tulbul barrage back in limelight
The India-Pakistan tensions and suspension of the Indus Water Treaty have brought back in limelight the Tulbul Navigation Barrage on Jhelum river, the construction for which was stopped in the late 1980s. The project in north Kashmir's in Sopore and Bandipora was stopped after Pakistan raised objections to its construction, citing the Indus Water Treaty. According to its design, the project could have helped in maintaining water levels at three downstream hydel projects -- Uri (1,480 MW), Uri 2 (230 MW) and Lower Jehlum Power Project (120MW). Uri and Uri 2 projects are under the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) and the Lower Jehlum Hydel Power Project (LJHP) is owned by J&K government. Though the projects operate at full capacity in summers, the output falls under 20% in autumn and winter due to low water levels in Jhelum. 'The project, if completed, will be very helpful for J&K, especially in agriculture and for hydel projects. The Indus Water Treaty made it impossible to secure water for J&K. Political leaders raised the issue, pointing out how J&K was in loss, and asked Centre to compensate. Since World Bank is involved in this treaty, we can't say whether the project will be completed,' said a senior officer who was a part of the project. On Thursday, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said the work on Tulbul project should be resumed. 'Now that the Indus Water Treaty has been temporarily suspended, I wonder if we will be able to resume the project. It will improve power generation of downstream projects, especially in winter,' he said. The work on the Tulbul project, the Wular freshwater lake and Jhelum river, was stopped over Pakistan's objections. Several delegations from Pakistan visited the spot as they considered it will control the flow of water towards Pakistan. Omar, Mehbooba exchange barbs Omar on Friday accused Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti of 'trying to please some people across the border', apparently referring to Pakistan. 'What is unfortunate is that with your blind lust to try to score cheap publicity points & please some people sitting across the border, you refuse to acknowledge that the IWT has been one of the biggest historic betrayals of the interests of the people of J&K. I have always opposed this treaty & I will continue to do so. Opposing a blatantly unfair treaty is in no way, shape, size or form warmongering, it's about correcting a historic injustice that denied the people of J&K the right to use our water for ourselves,' Omar said in a post on microblogging platform X. Mehbooba had questioned Omar for raising the Tulbul project amid the ongoing tensions. 'J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah's call to revive the Tulbul Navigation Project amid ongoing tensions between India & Pakistan is deeply unfortunate. At a time when both countries have just stepped back from the brink of a full-fledged war—with Jammu and Kashmir bearing the brunt through the loss of innocent lives, widespread destruction and immense suffering such statements are not only irresponsible but also dangerously provocative,' Mehbooba said on X. Now I think I'll do some real work & you can keep posting,' Omar said in his response.
