Govt Gives In-Principle Nod to 1,000-MW Project on Siyom, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Union Environment Ministry has recommended in-principle forest clearance for the 1,000-MW Naying Hydroelectric Project.
• The project is proposed on the Siyom river, a major tributary of the Siang river, in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Developed by North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd (NEEPCO), the estimated cost is Rs 10,369 crore.
• This recommendation comes amidst severe protests against the larger 11,200-MW Siang Upper project in the same region.

Detailed Insights:

• The Naying Hydroelectric Project is planned as a run-of-the-river project in the Shi Yomi and Siang districts of Arunachal Pradesh, which border China.
• It involves constructing a 100-meter high concrete gravity dam and an underground powerhouse connected by a 4.5-km long headrace tunnel.
• The dam will be situated between Jining and Yapik villages, contributing to the region's power generation capacity.
• This project is one of four planned in the Siyom River Basin, alongside the Upper Siyom multipurpose project, Lower Siyom (2,700 MW), and another 700 MW project approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.
• The Forest Advisory Committee's decision highlights the ongoing balance between development needs and environmental concerns in ecologically sensitive areas.

Scientific/Technical Concepts Involved:

• Run-of-the-river project: A hydroelectric system that uses the natural flow of a river without significant water storage in a large reservoir.
• Concrete gravity dam: A massive dam constructed from concrete that relies on its own weight to resist the horizontal thrust of water.
• Headrace tunnel: A tunnel that carries water from the dam or reservoir to the hydroelectric power station's turbines.