Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project
Topic: Energy Resources of India: Conventional and Non-conventional · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project is a 2,000 MW hydropower project built by NHPC. It is on the Subansiri river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, at the Arunachal Pradesh–Assam border. It is India's largest hydro project. People downstream in Assam protested for years over floods, sudden changes in river flow and harm to farming and fishing. Its units began running from 2024 (verify current).
Example
The dam stands where the Subansiri leaves the hills of Arunachal Pradesh and enters the plains of Assam. It shows both the large hydro potential of the Himalayan rivers and the worries of people living downstream.
Don't confuse with
- Bhakra Nangal: an older multipurpose project on the Satluj in the north-west. It gives irrigation as well as power. Subansiri Lower is a newer project in the North-East, built mainly for power.