Adani Power and Bhutan’s state-owned generation utility, Druk Green Power Corporation Ltd (DGPC), have signed a Shareholders Agreement to develop the 770 MW Chamkharchhu-I Hydroelectric Project in Bhutan, with the power expected to help meet Bhutan’s peak winter electricity requirements, with surplus generation exported to India during the summer months.
The peaking run-of-river project is located on the Chamkharchhu River in Zhemgang district of central Bhutan. Construction is expected to begin in the first half of 2027, with commissioning targeted within six years of groundbreaking. The Chamkharchhu-I project is expected to strengthen Bhutan’s clean-energy generation capacity and improve the country’s energy security, particularly during the peak winter months.
The project will be developed through a 49:51 equity partnership, with Adani Power holding 49% and DGPC holding 51%. It will be implemented under the Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) model and will have a 30-year concession from the date of commercial operation (COD). Bhutan Prime Minister Lyonchen Dasho Tshering Tobgay, along with the country’s Finance Minister and Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, attended the signing ceremony. Representatives from Druk Holding & Investments (DHI), Bhutan Power Corporation (BPC), the DGPC Board and management, and Adani Power were also present.
The project follows the agreement for the 570 MW Wangchhu Hydroelectric Project signed by the two partners in September 2025. It is also part of the broader 5,000 MW hydropower development partnership between the Adani Group and the Royal Government of Bhutan, under an MoU signed with DGPC in May 2025.
According to Adani Power Managing Director Anil Sardana, the project is expected to help meet Bhutan’s peak winter electricity requirements while allowing surplus green power to be exported to India during the summer months. “Hydropower will play a pivotal role in accelerating South Asia’s energy transition, and this project will contribute significantly to enhancing energy security, reducing carbon intensity, and advancing shared sustainability goals,” Sardana said.
He added that the project would enable the export of surplus green power to India during the summer, creating long-term value for both countries.
DGPC Managing Director Dasho Chhewang Rinzin said the project would strengthen Bhutan’s energy security during winter while creating opportunities to optimise and export surplus clean energy to India. He said the partnership also reflects the two countries’ commitment to developing Bhutan’s renewable energy resources through strategic partnerships and responsible and efficient project delivery. DGPC is Bhutan’s leading renewable energy generation company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Druk Holding & Investments, the Royal Government of Bhutan’s commercial arm.
Published on October 6, 2026
