Environment · GS3
Kalai-II Hydroelectric Project
One line
The CCEA approved a ₹14,105.83 crore, 1,200 MW hydroelectric project on the Lohit River in Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh.
Summary
The project is the first hydro project in the Lohit Basin and is expected to support peak-demand management and grid balancing. It also raises familiar Himalayan questions about seismic risk, downstream flows, biodiversity, displacement, sediment, and cumulative basin impacts.
The project approval states expected generation and benefits. Actual output and local outcomes will depend on construction and operation.
PYQ pattern
UPSC environment and infrastructure questions often ask whether hydropower is renewable, the costs of Himalayan projects, and the meaning of installed capacity. Use the official UPSC archive.
Core notes
- Hydropower converts the potential and kinetic energy of flowing water into electricity.
- Installed capacity is the maximum rated output. Expected annual generation depends on river flow, plant availability, and operating conditions.
- The project is to be implemented by a joint venture of THDC India Limited and the Government of Arunachal Pradesh.
- The state is to receive free power and a share for the Local Area Development Fund, alongside infrastructure and compensation measures.
Prelims lens
- The project is on the Lohit River in Arunachal Pradesh.
- Peak-demand management and grid balancing are system functions, not measures of total annual electricity production.
- Free power to a state is a project benefit arrangement, not the same as central tax devolution.
MCQ 1
Consider the following statements about Kalai-II:
- It is planned on the Lohit River.
- It is located in Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh.
- A. 1 only
- B. 2 only
- C. Both 1 and 2
- D. Neither 1 nor 2
Reveal answerHide answer
C
PIB identified both the river and the district in the Cabinet approval.
MCQ 2
Installed capacity of a power project refers to:
- A. its rated maximum output
- B. the exact electricity it will generate every year
- C. only the number of households in the project area
- D. the project's total construction cost
Reveal answerHide answer
A
Installed capacity is a rated power measure. Actual annual generation varies with resource and operating conditions.
Mains
Question, 10 marks, 150 words: Himalayan hydropower projects can support energy security but need basin-level environmental governance. Examine.
Approach:
- Explain hydropower, grid balancing, and regional development.
- Discuss seismicity, sediment, ecological flow, biodiversity, displacement, and cumulative impacts.
- Assess federal benefit sharing and local consent.
- Recommend basin studies, transparent impact assessment, disaster-resilient design, and long-term monitoring.