Assam government has approved the Assam Thermal Power Generation Product Promotion Policy 2025, targeting large-scale investments to boost thermal power capacity and position the state as a regional energy hub. The Cabinet has approved investment proposals worth Rs 7,730 crore.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma emphasized the state’s escalating energy demand, projected to reach 5,000 MW by 2032, increasing by 1,000 MW annually. The new policy offers companies land free of cost, water supply, and road infrastructure to set up thermal power plants. The government will purchase power via tenders, with surplus energy eligible for sale to neighbouring states or export to Bhutan and Nepal. Sarma stated, “We are rolling out an aggressive thermal power policy... We will purchase power from them by floating tender.”

The policy allows for up to 27 percent government equity in projects, with identified sites including Rupsi (Kokrajhar) and Sapor (Goalpara). Establishing a mega thermal plant of 1,800 MW is estimated to require Rs 20,000 crore and around 3,000 bighas of land. The state is in discussions with the Centre to secure coal mines in Jharkhand and West Bengal. In parallel, industrial investments are flowing into Assam across various sectors, stemming from MoUs signed during the Advantage Assam 2.0 summit. Investments include Rs 981 crore from Kohinoor Pulp & Paper (P) and Rs 827 crore from RPN Specialty Paper (P).

A Rs 750 crore project using Numaligarh Refinery byproducts, a brewery, ethanol and cement units, battery manufacturing, and recycled plastic facilities have been approved. Hospitality growth is also underway, with Taj Gateway (Jagiroad) and Marriott (Guwahati) projects cleared. To support this expansion, the state plans a six-lane road linking Guwahati to Umiam in Meghalaya, along with similar point-to-point expressways under planning on other key corridors such as Srirampur-Guwahati, Guwahati-Jorhat, and Jorhat-Dibrugarh, anticipated within five years.