Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma on Thursday announced plans to establish a 2,400 MW pumped storage hydroelectric power plant in Hnahthial district. The ambitious project, to be constructed across Darzo Nallah, a tributary of the Tuipui River, marks one of the largest power infrastructure initiatives ever undertaken in the state. Speaking at the general conference of the Mizo Students’ Union (MSU) in Hnahthial town, the Chief Minister said the upcoming hydro project would not only strengthen Mizoram’s power generation capacity but also reduce the state’s long-standing dependence on electricity imports from neighbouring states. “Mizoram has the potential to generate clean and renewable energy. With this project, we aim to turn that potential into power — literally and economically,” Lalduhoma said.
According to officials from the Power and Electricity Department, the proposed project will be an on-stream closed-loop pumped storage system consisting of eight generating units of 300 MW each, designed to deliver a combined installed capacity of 2,400 MW. Once operational, the plant is expected to produce around 4,993 million units of electricity annually, maintaining a plant availability of 95 per cent. The total estimated cost of the project stands at ₹13,947.50 crore, of which 10 per cent will be funded by the Central government under the Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) scheme. The Mizoram government has also committed ₹285 crore for the construction of a 132 kV transmission line to strengthen power supply infrastructure across Hnahthial and adjoining areas.
Officials said the pumped storage system would use water to store and generate electricity by moving it between two reservoirs at different elevations — a method that allows flexible generation during peak demand hours and energy storage during off-peak periods. This form of hydroelectricity is globally recognised for stabilising grids powered by renewable sources like solar and wind. Currently, Mizoram imports a large share of its electricity from Tripura and other northeastern states, spending nearly ₹400 crore annually on power purchases. The new hydro project is expected to drastically reduce this expenditure and enable the state to move closer to energy self-reliance. “Once the plant becomes operational, Mizoram will not only meet its internal demand but may also contribute to the regional power pool,” a senior engineer from the department said.
