AGARTALA: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has laid out a $3 billion road map to overhaul Tripura’s power sector over the next decade, calling for the northeastern state to add 1,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity and draw at least half its electricity from clean sources by 2035.
The report, titled the 6Ds Clean Energy Road Map and Implementation Plan, 2025 to 2035, was prepared at the request of the Government of Tripura and released in August 2026.
According to the report, the plan rests on six objectives, decarbonization, diversification, decentralization, digitalization, durability, and democratization, together called the “6Ds”.
It sets eight measurable targets for 2035, including cutting technical and commercial losses to 10%, installing 1,000 megawatt-hours of battery storage, and achieving full railway electrification alongside 30% electric vehicle penetration across the state.
Despite achieving 100% electrification, Tripura’s power sector remains heavily dependent on fossil fuels, with renewable operating capacity currently below 15 megawatts.
The state’s own gas-based plants run at reduced output because of fuel shortages, while the 10-megawatt Gomti hydropower plant has been shut since FY2024 after flood-related silting.
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Intra-state power demand is projected to cross 525 megawatts by FY2030 and 730 megawatts by FY2035, with the gap between supply and demand expected to widen sharply over that period.
The implementation plan unfolds in three phases. Immediate interventions through 2025 focus on distribution grid upgrades and smart metering for 150,000 consumers.
Between 2026 and 2030, the state aims to add 200 megawatts of solar capacity and 500 megawatt-hours of battery storage. From 2031 to 2035, attention shifts to hydropower with pumped storage, targeting 400 megawatts, alongside a sharp rise in cross-border power exports.
ADB has already approved $277 million for distribution and generation efficiency upgrades in Tripura and is in discussions for a further $375 million programme. Funding will also come from public-sector budgets, private investment, and public-private partnerships, particularly for large hydropower and battery storage projects.
The report notes that disruption to fuel supplies from the Gulf, caused by the conflict in the Middle East that began in early 2026, has added urgency to the state’s push to diversify away from fossil fuels.
