Oju hydro project in Arunachal Pradesh secures EC recommendation

The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has recommended Environmental Clearance (EC) for the 2,220 MW Oju hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh’s Subansiri valley. 

Planned in the Upper Subansiri district, the Oju hydroelectric project will harness the Subansiri River and include a gross storage capacity of 15.66 million cubic metres. The project is expected to cost Rs 24,942.01 crore and require at least five years for completion. Oju Subansiri Hydro Power Corporation Pvt Ltd is developing it.

While recommending clearance, the committee directed the developer to incorporate Glacial Lake Outburst Flood and flash flood risk scenarios in the project design. It also called for a real-time monitoring and early warning system in coordination with the state disaster management authority and local administration, along with community awareness programmes and mock drills.

The Oju project will be India’s third-largest hydropower project to receive such clearance, after the 3,087 MW Etalin and the 2,880 MW Dibang projects, both also located in Arunachal Pradesh.