Itanagar: At a time when the debate over hydropower in Arunachal Pradesh is intensifying, the proposed Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP) remains far from the stage of physical construction.
Currently, it stands at the Pre-Feasibility Report (PFR) phase — a stage that experts describe as one of study, dialogue, and vision, rather than implementation.
“The Siang Upper Multipurpose Project is not a reactionary move, it’s a responsible one,” explains Teerath Singh Mehra, former Commissioner of the Brahmaputra and Barak Wing under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
“With around 9 billion cubic metres of live storage capacity, the project could provide more than half of the flood moderation required in the upper Brahmaputra basin. That itself highlights its crucial role in ensuring flood control, water security, and long-term resilience,” Singh added.
At the PFR stage, the project is purely an assessment exercise. It involves analyzing the river’s hydrology, flow patterns, and flood behavior using secondary data—such as topographic maps, satellite imagery, and historical hydrological records—to determine whether the site is suitable for further detailed study.
According to an NHPC official, the PFR’s purpose is “to identify potential benefits, challenges, and alternatives so that the next stage—the Detailed Project Report (DPR)—can proceed with precision and full stakeholder awareness.”
The official added that the process involves consultations with state agencies, local institutions, and community bodies to incorporate early feedback and ensure that social, cultural, and ecological concerns are addressed from the outset.
“It’s a process of refinement and responsibility, not execution,” the official said.
A PFR is often misunderstood as a green signal for construction, but as N.K. Mathur, former Member (Design & Research) of the Central Water Commission clarifies, “It is essentially a desk study. It helps decide whether a project should move to detailed surveys and investigations. Only after a DPR, followed by public hearings, environmental and forest clearances, power purchase agreements, and financial closure, can any hydropower project even be considered for implementation.”
In recent months, NHPC has engaged with community organizations such as the Adi Baane Kebang (ABK) and the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum (SIFF) to explain each procedural stage of the project. The discussions reassured stakeholders that the project will move forward only after comprehensive studies and community participation.
Leaders of the ABK have emphasized the importance of continued consultations with project-affected families (PAFs) before the DPR phase, reinforcing a shared commitment to transparency and inclusivity.
India’s Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has charted an ambitious Rs 6.4 trillion plan to transmit over 76 gigawatts (GW) of hydroelectric power from the Brahmaputra basin by 2047. This blueprint includes 208 large hydropower projects across 12 sub-basins of the Northeast—stretching over Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Sikkim, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, and West Bengal.
The region holds more than 80% of India’s untapped hydropower potential, with Arunachal Pradesh alone accounting for 52.2 GW, according to the CEA.
The Central Water Commission (CWC) has also cautioned that India’s major river systems are facing increased seasonal stress due to climate change and upstream interventions, making multipurpose storage projects like SUMP vital for long-term water resilience and ecological balance.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to Itanagar, laid the foundation stones for the Heo (240 MW) and Tato-I (186 MW) hydropower projects worth about Rs 3,700 crore, Modi reiterated that frontier areas are no longer the “last villages” of India but the “first villages”—symbols of national progress and strategic importance.
Hydropower, in this context, is being positioned not just as an energy source but as a driver of regional development, infrastructure, and employment in Arunachal Pradesh.
For now, experts emphasize that the Siang Upper Multipurpose Project remains a matter of planning, data-driven research, and public dialogue, not of imminent construction.
“The SUMP, at this stage, is not about building a dam,” the NHPC official concludes.
“It’s about understanding the Siang River—its power, its people, and its potential—and ensuring that every decision is rooted in knowledge, consultation, and care.”