Itanagar, Sep 22 (IANS) The Arunachal Pradesh government Thursday signed agreements with three major public sector undertakings for development of mega hydropower projects that will enable it become a major powerhouse of electricity.

The pacts were inked with National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) to develop several projects with total capacity of more than 15,000 MW.

After the signing of the agreements, Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, who was present on the occasion, said the proposed projects would generate revenues of nearly Rs.12 billion a year for the state.

Chief Minister Gegong Apang and his cabinet colleagues were also present.

Endowed with perennial rivers and streams, Arunachal Pradesh's estimated electricity generation potential is about 50,000 MW.

NTPC chairman and managing director T. Sankaralingam had last week said at a seminar in New Delhi that the company is proposing to undertake projects totalling 4,500 MW, with an investment of around Rs.220 billion.

The NHPC is planning to invest Rs.250 billion for five power projects in the state. One of them - the Dibang hydroelectric project of 3,000 MW - will be undertaken in tie-up with the Arunachal Pradesh government.

The other four projects - Tawang I and Tawang II of 750 MW each, Subansiri Upper of 2,000 MW and Subansiri Middle of 1,600 mw, are to be undertaken by NHPC on its own.