Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein has defended the proposed 11,200 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project (SUMP), saying its purpose is to store and regulate water in the Siang basin rather than generate electricity. Mein, who holds the power and hydropower portfolios, said the project should be assessed for its role in managing river flows and reducing flood risks, particularly amid concerns over China’s proposed mega dam upstream. He drew a distinction between SUMP and China’s 60,000 MW Medog hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo, the river known as the Siang after it enters India. According to Mein, the Medog project is primarily designed for hydropower generation, with an estimated head of around 2,000 metres and storage capacity of 5.5 billion cubic metres. SUMP, by contrast, is proposed to have a 280-300 metre-high dam and around 9.2 billion cubic metres of live storage. Mein said the larger storage capacity could help regulate downstream discharge during sudden releases or extreme flows from upstream, potentially reducing flood risks in the Siang basin and downstream areas of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. He said power generation would be a secondary function of SUMP, with water storage, regulation and management forming the central purpose of the project. The state government has argued that the project could strengthen water and energy security while contributing to economic and social development and creating employment opportunities. SUMP, one of the largest hydropower projects in Arunachal Pradesh, envisages construction of a dam across the Siang river and is proposed to be executed by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC). The project, however, continues to face opposition from communities in the Siang region. Protesters have demanded an immediate halt to Pre-Feasibility Report activities and survey work, along with the withdrawal of security personnel deployed in areas that could be affected by the project. Concerns include its potential impact on communities, livelihoods and the river basin. The government has maintained that the exercise remains an initial technical assessment rather than a decision to begin construction. Mein stressed that no final decision has been taken on SUMP. He said the Pre-Feasibility Report is intended to establish whether the project is technically feasible and can be developed safely. Several stages of studies, consultations and statutory clearances would be required before construction could be approved. The state government has emphasised dialogue with communities as the project moves through the assessment process. Chief Minister Pema Khandu has said that concerns relating to social and environmental impacts, rehabilitation, land, livelihoods and compensation need to be examined before any decision is taken. The debate over SUMP therefore combines questions of hydropower, flood management, water security, environmental protection and local consent. For the state government, the project represents a tool to manage the Siang basin while strengthening energy security. For communities opposing it, the focus remains on protecting land, livelihoods and the ecological character of the river system. With feasibility studies and consultations still underway, the project remains at an assessment stage rather than an approved construction phase.
