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ITANAGAR: NHPC has synchronised the fifth 250-megawatt unit of the 2,000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (SLHP) in Arunachal Pradesh with the national grid, taking the total synchronised capacity to 1,250 MW. The unit was synchronised at 9 pm on Monday, marking another step in the phased commissioning of the project on the Subansiri river along the Arunachal Pradesh-Assam border, officials said on Tuesday.
The project comprises eight generating units of 250 MW each and is expected to generate around 7,422 million units of electricity annually once fully operational. Four units, with a combined capacity of 1,000 MW, had already entered commercial operation, while work continues on the remaining three units.
Officials said synchronisation involved connecting a generator to the grid after technical checks. Commercial operation, however, is declared separately after the necessary testing and procedures are completed.
The project is expected to help meet rising electricity demand in the Northeast and strengthen the national power network. It is also envisaged to provide flood-moderation benefits in the Brahmaputra Valley, subject to operating conditions and coordinated river management.
Construction of the project, which faced prolonged delays amid concerns over dam safety and downstream impacts, resumed in 2019 after additional safety and mitigation measures were implemented. The full commissioning of the project is now targeted for March 2027, revising the earlier December deadline, according to the Ministry of Power. NHPC continues work on the remaining units, including the installation of major electromechanical equipment.
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