Threats from India

To meet surging domestic energy
demand, provide power to the largest
population in the world that lacks electricity
(> 400 million people), and reduce rapidly
growing CO2 emissions, the Government
of India (GOI) has embarked on a fast-track
dam-building program. Over the next several
decades, the GOI aims to construct 292 dams
throughout the Indian Himalaya, doubling
current hydropower capacity and contributing
~6% to projected national energy needs
by 2030 ( 1). With the use of coal set to expand,
India’s total carbon emissions are projected to
more than double by 2030 ( 2). New dams can
play a dual role, helping to limit emissions
while providing power to needy people. But
major problems loom. We discuss approaches
to these as Himalaya hydropower expands.