Guwahati: The NHPC Limited on Tuesday declared the commercial operation of the first unit of the 2,000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project located at Gerukamukh along Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.
Unit No. 2 of 250 MW achieved its Commercial Operation Date (COD) on December 23, 2025. The project comprises eight units of 250 MW each, NHPC Ltd said in a statement.
The commercial operation of the unit was inaugurated virtually by Union Minister for Power, Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal. Describing the development as a landmark achievement, the Minister said the commissioning was not merely a technical feat but a reflection of years of sustained effort and teamwork.
He said the Subansiri project symbolises India’s commitment to clean and sustainable energy, while supporting growth in the Northeast, strengthening the national grid and advancing the country’s Net Zero goals.
The event was attended by senior officials of the Union Ministry of Power and NHPC, including Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal, Joint Secretary (Hydro) Mohd. Afzal, NHPC Chairman and Managing Director Bhupender Gupta, and members of NHPC’s board and senior management.
Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal said the Subansiri Lower Project would significantly improve power availability in the North-East and stands as a testament to India’s focus on modern, sustainable energy systems.
He underlined the importance of timely commissioning of the remaining units, noting that the project would play a crucial role in India’s transition towards a Net Zero energy future while delivering socio-economic benefits to local communities.
NHPC CMD Bhupender Gupta expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Power, the governments of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, former NHPC leadership and all stakeholders for their support in achieving the milestone.
He said the project would provide reliable renewable energy, strengthen the national grid and support sustainable development in the region. Rajendra Prasad, Executive Director and Head of the Subansiri Lower Project, said the project team was committed to commissioning the remaining units as per schedule.
With the commissioning of Unit No. 2, NHPC plans to bring three more 250 MW units on stream shortly, followed by phased commissioning of the remaining four units during 2026–27. Once fully operational, the project is expected to generate 7,422 million units of renewable electricity annually.
Designed as a run-of-the-river scheme with small pondage, the Subansiri Lower Project features North-East India’s largest dam—a 116-metre-high concrete gravity structure.
Apart from power generation, the project plays a key role in flood moderation, providing a dedicated flood cushion of 442 million cubic metres and helping manage monsoon flows in the Subansiri river basin.
NHPC has also undertaken extensive riverbank protection and erosion control works downstream of the dam, investing about Rs 522 crore to stabilise riverbanks up to 60 km.
NHPC said that the company has implemented livelihood and community development programmes benefiting around 5,000 women through initiatives in piggery, sericulture and handloom, besides investing about Rs 155 crore in CSR activities across Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
The project will supply power to 16 beneficiary states, with free power allocations to Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. The Northeast region will receive 1,000 MW from the project, significantly strengthening regional energy security.
During its construction phase, the project generated employment for around 7,000 local people daily and created substantial direct and indirect job opportunities. NHPC said the availability of reliable power is expected to spur small-scale industries, boost tourism and improve river navigation, contributing to long-term economic development in the region.
NHPC, a Navratna public sector enterprise, currently has an installed capacity of 8,333 MW across 30 power stations and is executing 14 projects with a total capacity of 9,704 MW.
Over the years, the company has diversified into solar, wind and green hydrogen, reinforcing its position as a 100 per cent green energy company.