Itanagar, Apr 11: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has urged power developers operating in the state to explore smaller hydropower projects alongside major ones to boost the state’s overall energy generation capacity.

Chairing the eighth meeting of the steering committee of the Hydropower Development Department in Tawang district, Khandu pointed out that the tributaries of the state’s five major rivers offer potential to generate between 100 and 300 megawatts of power. He said Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) engaged in large projects could expand their scope to include smaller, feasible ventures. “As you already have men and machines deployed at the sites, it should not be a difficult task,” he noted.

Khandu also reviewed the progress of 13 ongoing hydropower projects in the state and underlined the importance of meeting deadlines. “Delay in execution costs us Rs 9 crore per day in lost revenue and local area development funds. This underlines the urgency of timely implementation,” he said.

He further highlighted the role of the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) in ensuring effective transmission of power from project sites to distribution networks.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Chief Secretary Manish Kumar Gupta, deputy commissioners from the relevant districts, and representatives from CPSUs including NHPC, SJVN, NEEPCO, and THDCIL, as well as central government officials.

On the occasion, four memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed between the state government and the CPSUs to provide training for technical and non-technical staff of the Hydropower Development Department.