ADB to give India $231 mn loan for Assam hydroelectric project
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) with provide India a $ 231-million loan to augment electricity generation capacity in Assam through construction of a 120 megawatts (MW) hydroelectric power plant.
The hydropower project on the Kopili River and Umrong stream, its tributary, is located in Assam’s Dima Hasao district and is scheduled to be commissioned by the year 2025. Once completed, it will enhance availability of electricity for households in the state.
This is the third tranche loan for the ongoing Assam Power Sector Investment Programme that was approved by the ADB Board in July 2014. The programme, including its two previous tranches, focuses on enhancing capacity and efficiency of the energy generation and distribution systems in Assam to improve electricity service to end users.
A loan agreement was recently signed by the Centre and ADB.
The proposed hydroelectric project is run-of-the-river project over Kopili River which will help increase electricity supplied from clean energy by 469 gigawatthour (GWh) by 2025 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 360,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually.
Part of the loan will be used for project capacity building of Assam Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGCL) on construction, operations and maintenance and safeguards. The project will finance APGCL’s enterprise resource planning system. It will also contribute to improving gender equity by enhancing the gender capacity of APGCL and improve women’s participation and contribution in training and community led interventions.
