Subansiri Hydro Project Faces Further Delays Amid Cost Surge and Monsoon Damage

In a significant development, NHPC has announced that the much-delayed Subansiri Hydro Project on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border will face additional postponements, now targeting a completion date of May 2026. The company cites recent monsoon-induced "minor damages" as partly contributing to the delay, although the main structure remains intact.

Originally estimated to be completed by December 2012, the project's anticipated completion cost has risen dramatically from Rs 6,285 crore to Rs 26,075 crore. Despite these setbacks, NHPC assures that the dam's structural integrity has not been compromised, asserting that only spillway lip damage occurred.

This ongoing delay comes after a series of hurdles, including construction stoppages due to local protests over safety concerns. The company resumed work in October 2019, and despite completing more than 90% of the project, the project's commissioning has been postponed multiple times.

(With inputs from agencies.)