In a move set to redefine Bhutan’s renewable energy landscape, Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) and India’s Adani Group formalized an agreement to co-develop 5,000 megawatts of hydropower capacity across multiple sites in the Kingdom. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed in Thimphu, paves the way for a series of green energy ventures—spanning conventional hydropower plants and pumped storage facilities—to be rolled out in phases over the coming years.
This latest accord builds directly upon the partners’ collaboration at the Wangchhu Hydropower Project, where DGPC holds a 51 percent stake and Adani 49 percent. Originally conceived as a 570 MW facility with provisions to expand to 900 MW, the Wangchhu project has served as a blueprint for technical cooperation, local capacity building, and cross-border investment structures. Both entities will now leverage lessons learned there to fast-track feasibility studies, prepare Detailed Project Reports, and secure environmental and regulatory clearances for the broader 5,000 MW initiative.
DGPC’s chairman hailed the partnership as a “milestone in Bhutan’s pursuit of sustainable growth,” emphasizing the potential economic and ecological benefits of augmenting clean energy exports to neighboring markets. From increased export revenues to job creation in rural districts, the expanded portfolio promises to bolster the nation’s hydropower expertise and reinforce its reputation as South Asia’s “battery of the Himalayas.” Adani Group executives, for their part, underscored their commitment to responsible development and knowledge transfer, noting that phased implementation would allow adaptive management and community engagement at each site.
As Bhutan charts its next chapter in renewable energy, the DGPC–Adani MoU signals both ambition and pragmatism: leveraging a proven project framework while exploring new sites for pumped storage, thereby enhancing grid stability and meeting seasonal demand swings. With Detailed Project Reports slated for completion over the next 12 to 18 months, ground-breaking on the first tranche of facilities could commence as early as 2027, ushering in a new era of clean power for Bhutan and its neighbors.
