Guwahati, Oct 25: In a landmark development for India’s hydropower sector, NHPC Limited has successfully commenced wet commissioning of Unit-I (250 MW) of the 2,000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (HEP) on October 24, 2025, marking the first step toward bringing the nation’s largest hydroelectric project into operation.

Wet commissioning refers to the phase when water is first allowed to flow through the turbine system to test the mechanical and electrical components under real conditions—verifying that the equipment runs safely and efficiently before full power generation begins.

The successful mechanical run of the first machine signals the synchronization process with the national power grid, paving the way for power generation trials. Three more 250 MW units are expected to follow this year, contributing 1,000 MW of clean energy in the initial phase. Once fully operational, the Subansiri Lower HEP (8×250 MW) will be India’s largest hydropower plant, straddling the border of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam on the mighty Subansiri River.

The commissioning ceremony was attended by NHPC CMD Bhupender Gupta, along with senior board members and officials including Sanjay Kumar Singh (Director, Projects), Suprakash Adhikari (Director, Technical), Mahesh Kumar Sharma (Director, Finance), Uday Sakharam Nirgudkar (Independent Director), Santosh Kumar (CVO), and Rajendra Prasad (Executive Director & Head of Project), among others.

Speaking on the occasion, CMD Bhupender Gupta hailed the achievement as a “proud emblem of NHPC’s engineering excellence and India’s rising strength in sustainable energy.” He expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Power, the Governments of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, and all stakeholders who contributed to the project’s progress.

“This is more than a project milestone—it is a symbol of India’s unstoppable march toward a cleaner, greener, and self-reliant energy future,” Gupta said.

Senior NHPC officials commended the Subansiri team and executing partners, including BGS-SGS-SOMA, TREL, Patel Engineering Ltd., and GE Vernova, for their dedication and technical expertise that made this moment possible.

The Subansiri project’s journey has been a tough one since receiving central government approval in 2003. Construction began in 2005, but progress came to a complete halt in December 2011 after strong opposition from anti-dam organisations. These groups voiced serious environmental and social concerns, warning that the project could disrupt local communities and endanger the region’s fragile ecosystem. The impasse led to an eight-year suspension of all work.

The deadlock was finally broken in October 2019, when the National Green Tribunal (NGT) granted environmental clearance after comprehensive assessments and extensive review processes.

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