Adani Eyes Hydro Future with 770 MW Bhutan Plant

Adani Power advances its hydropower ambitions with a fresh cross-border agreement that expands clean energy capacity in the region.

Adani Power and Bhutan’s Druk Green Power Corporation sign a shareholders’ agreement for the 770 MW Chamkharchhu-I Hydroelectric Project on the Chamkharchhu River in Zhemgang district.

Construction starts in the first half of 2027, with commercial operation targeted six years later.

The deal forms the second leg of a growing partnership that already includes the 570 MW Wangchhu project and sits under a broader 5,000 MW hydropower memorandum with Bhutan.

The move adds meaningful renewable capacity to Adani Power’s portfolio while supporting Bhutan’s winter energy needs and summer surplus exports to India.

Key Highlights

• Adani Power and DGPC lock in a 49:51 equity partnership for the 770 MW peaking run-of-river project under a BOOT model with a 30-year concession.
• Construction begins in the first half of 2027, and commissioning follows within six years, adding to the earlier 570 MW Wangchhu plant.
• The plant meets Bhutan’s winter peak demand while enabling surplus green power exports to India during summer months.

Building Scale Under the 5 GW Umbrella

Adani Power and DGPC structure the project as a 49:51 equity partnership, with Adani holding 49 percent and DGPC 51 percent. They develop it under the Build, Own, Operate and Transfer model and secure a 30-year concession from the commercial operation date.

This follows the Wangchhu agreement signed in September 2025. Together, the two plants deliver 1,340 MW so far, with both sides evaluating further opportunities under the larger 5,000 MW program agreed in May 2025.

Adani Power Managing Director Anil Sardana underscores the strategic fit: hydropower accelerates South Asia’s energy transition, strengthens energy security, reduces carbon intensity, and advances shared sustainability goals. He notes the plant helps meet Bhutan’s peak winter electricity demand while enabling surplus green power exports to India during summer months.

DGPC Managing Director Dasho Chhewang Rinzin echoes the dual benefit. The project strengthens Bhutan’s energy security in winter and creates clear opportunities to optimize and export surplus clean energy to India. He frames the partnership as a practical step in developing Bhutan’s renewable resources through efficient delivery.

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Peaking Run-of-River Design Delivers Flexibility

The Chamkharchhu-I plant operates as a peaking run-of-river scheme. This design allows daily and weekly modulation that matches Bhutan’s winter evening peaks while maximizing summer generation for export. Location on the Chamkharchhu River in central Bhutan positions the project to support both domestic reliability and cross-border clean power flows.

Key project milestones and structure:

• Equity split: Adani Power 49 percent, DGPC 51 percent
• Development model: BOOT with 30-year concession from COD
• Construction start: first half of 2027
• Target commissioning: within six years of groundbreaking
• Broader context: second project after 570 MW Wangchhu, part of 5,000 MW partnership

Portfolio Shift and Regional Timing

For Adani Power, the addition of these two Bhutanese hydros marks a clear diversification step beyond its existing generation base. The combined 1,340 MW arrives in the early 2030s, aligning with the period when both India and Bhutan continue expanding renewable capacity.

Both companies remain engaged in evaluating additional sites under the same umbrella agreement. The Chamkharchhu-I project therefore sits as one concrete step in a longer pipeline that aims to deliver substantial clean power for Bhutan’s domestic needs and surplus supply for the Indian market.

Adani’s latest move reinforces a practical hydro pathway that balances winter reliability for Bhutan with summer export value for India, all while expanding the group’s renewable footprint in the eastern Himalayas.