The Government has launched a sweeping transmission plan valued at ₹6.4 lakh crore (about $77 billion) to evacuate hydropower from the Brahmaputra river basin, aiming to harness over 76 gigawatts (GW) of electricity by 2047. The announcement, made on Monday, signals a strategic approach to energy security and countering upstream infrastructure risks.
The project envisions 208 major transmission lines across 12 river sub-basins, combining conventional hydropower with pumped storage to provide both capacity and flexibility. The plan also includes high-voltage direct current (HVDC) corridors, transformation stations, and a robust interconnection network across northeastern states.
In its preliminary phase, to be completed by 2035, the government intends to set up around 10,000 circuit-kilometres of transmission lines and deliver close to 12 GW of output through HVDC infrastructure. The subsequent expansion phase will require additional investment in excess of ₹4.5 lakh crore in infrastructure through 2047.
Strategically, the plan is viewed as a move to respond to China’s ambitious dam construction along the upper Brahmaputra (Yarlung Zangbo) in Tibet, which could influence downstream flows during lean months. By accelerating its own hydropower and transmission capabilities, India aims to mitigate upstream control risks and assert energy independence in the region.
The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) is leading the initiative, coordinating across state utilities, public sector firms (such as NHPC and NEEPCO), and regulatory agencies. Detailed environmental clearances, social impact assessments, and resettlement plans will be integral before construction begins.
State governments in the Northeast have welcomed the plan, citing opportunities for job growth, rural electrification, and ancillary development. The government has committed to transparent consultation mechanisms to safeguard local communities, environment, and biodiversity along project sites.
Energy analysts regard the plan as a major leap toward India’s non-fossil capacity goals and net-zero ambitions. The flexibility offered by pumped storage and integrated transmission could also ease the integration of solar and wind power within the national grid.
However, challenges are substantial: land acquisition in rugged terrain, ecological balance in ecologically sensitive zones, funding mobilisation, and coordination across multiple agencies. The project’s success will depend heavily on execution discipline, institutional capacity, and mitigating delays.
If carried out as envisaged, this Brahmaputra hydropower push could reshape India’s clean energy landscape, augment regional resilience, and redefine the geopolitics of river basin management in South Asia.
