In a sweeping blueprint that could reshape India’s clean energy future, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has unveiled a comprehensive master plan to evacuate nearly 65,000 MW (65 GW) of hydroelectric power from the Brahmaputra Basin — one of the world’s richest yet most complex hydropower frontiers.
The plan, titled “Master Plan for Evacuation of Power from Hydroelectric Plants in the Brahmaputra Basin,” maps out an ambitious two-phase strategy that stretches up to and beyond 2035. It aims to integrate the immense hydro potential of 12 sub-basins — including Lohit, Dibang, Siang, Subansiri, Kameng, Tawang, Pare, Teesta, Barak, and the Upper and Lower Brahmaputra — into India’s national transmission grid.
“The Brahmaputra’s vast energy potential has long been recognised but never comprehensively planned for evacuation. This master plan bridges that gap,” said Ghanshyam Prasad, Chairperson of CEA, in the preface to the report. He described it as a “guide for hydro power developers” that will provide visibility and confidence for large-scale investment and grid integration.
Spanning over 580,000 sq. km — from the snow-fed Tibetan plateau to the plains of Assam and Bangladesh — the Brahmaputra Basin harbours 64,945 MW of exploitable hydropower (from projects over 25 MW capacity). Of this, 6,807 MW is already operational or under construction, 19,552 MW is targeted by 2035, and another 38,586 MW is envisioned beyond 2035.
To manage this massive surge in clean power, the CEA proposes an intricate network of 31,397 circuit kilometres (ckm) of new transmission lines and 1,09,935 MVA/MW of transformation capacity — an undertaking estimated to cost ₹6.43 lakh crore.
Of the total, nearly ₹1.91 lakh crore will be invested by 2035, while the lion’s share — ₹4.52 lakh crore — will be needed in the post-2035 period. The transmission backbone includes High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) corridors spanning 15,000 ckm and capable of carrying 30,000 MW, designed to ferry power efficiently over long distances from the remote mountains of Arunachal Pradesh to demand centres in India’s heartland.
Among the 12 sub-basins, Siang, Subansiri, and Dibang stand out as the heavyweights, contributing nearly 70% of the total potential. The Siang basin alone, with mega projects like Upper Siang Stage-I and II (11,200 MW) and Lower Siang (2,700 MW), accounts for more than 18,000 MW.
The Subansiri basin follows closely with 12,290 MW, while the Dibang basin offers around 8,800 MW. Other key contributors include Kameng (3,258 MW), Tawang (1,934 MW), and Lohit (6,841 MW).
For smaller basins like Pare (414 MW) and Upper Brahmaputra (379 MW), the plan proposes intra-state transmission links, while Teesta (6,804 MW) and Barak (4,627 MW) extend the basin’s hydropower reach into Sikkim, West Bengal, and Mizoram.
In addition, 11,130 MW of potential has been earmarked for Pumped Storage Plants (PSPs) — crucial for balancing India’s renewable-heavy grid.
The CEA’s studies identify multiple pooling stations across Arunachal Pradesh and adjoining states — such as Etalin, Roing, Kherang Camp, Namsai, Gogamukh, Koloriang, and Yumthang — serving as central hubs for power evacuation. Each sub-basin’s network of 400 kV and 765 kV AC lines and ±800 kV HVDC systems has been designed to minimise losses and maximise reliability across challenging terrains.
Beyond engineering, the master plan emphasises environmental sensitivity, proposing phased development aligned with the GatiShakti planning framework and real-time geographic visibility through digital mapping.
Hydropower, with its balancing capabilities, remains indispensable to India’s renewable mix. As solar and wind generation fluctuate, the Brahmaputra Basin’s high-altitude reservoirs could provide the much-needed flexibility and stability.
The CEA’s master plan, therefore, is not merely an infrastructure roadmap — it’s a vision for a resilient energy future. By 2040, if executed as planned, the Brahmaputra Basin could emerge as the clean power backbone of India’s Northeast, exporting green energy across states and even beyond borders.
“Hydropower, combined with an integrated transmission network, forms the cornerstone of India’s strategy for a sustainable power system,” the report concludes — setting the stage for one of the largest clean energy transformations in South Asia.
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