Electricity generation to increase by over 3000 Mega Watts
*Centre, UT admn constantly monitoring progress on HEPs
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Feb 16: Jammu and Kashmir will become power surplus Union Territory in the country during next three-four years as hydro electric projects having capacity to generate 3099 Mega Watts of power will be completed by then and in order to ensure that timelines are strictly adhered to the Union Government and administration of the Union Territory are constantly monitoring the progress on the projects.
As per the official data available with EXCELSIOR, at present work is apace on three Central Sector and two State Sector hydro electric projects in the districts of Kishtwar and Poonch in Jammu province of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. While the Central Sector projects are being executed by the Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited, Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation is constructing State Sector projects.
As far as Central Sector hydro electric projects are concerned, Pakal Dul, which will generate 1000 Mega Watts of electricity, is being constructed on Marusadar/Chenab river and its all four units will be completed by July 2025 as per the timeline fixed by the Government of India and agreed to by the executing agency. At present, more than 32% progress has been registered on the project.
Similarly, 624 Mega Watts capacity Kiru hydro electric project will be completed by July 25 as Union Power Ministry has already told the project executing agency to accelerate the pace of work to overcome the loss of time due to COVID-19 pandemic. This project is being conducted on River Chenab in Kishtwar district and it will have four units each having capacity to generate 156 Mega Watts of electricity.
Another Central Sector project-850 Mega Watts Ratle also in Kishtwar district will be completed by February 2026 as work has picked up pace on the project only after the formulation of Ratle Hydroelectric Project Pvt Limited and with the involvement of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Limited. This project will have four units each having capacity to generate 205 Mega Watts of electricity and one unit having 30 Mega Watts capacity.
The 540 Mega Watts Kwar hydro electric project which is also being constructed in Kishtwar district will be completed by November 2026 and it will have four units each having capacity to generate 135 Mega Watts of power.
As far as State Sector projects are concerned, 37.50 Mega Watts Parnai hydro electric project being constructed in Poonch district will be completed by June 2024 as more than 50% work has already been completed on the same. This project being executed by Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited will have four units each having capacity to generate 12.5 Mega Watts of electricity.
Though no time-frame has been conveyed to the Government of India about the completion of Lower Kalnai project in Kishtwar being executed by Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited yet directions have already been issued for overcoming the hurdles and ensuring smooth execution.
This project having two units of 24 Mega Watts will generate 48 Mega Watts of electricity on its completion. “If all these projects are executed strictly as per the fixed timelines, Jammu and Kashmir will become power surplus Union Territory in the country during next 3-4 years”, official sources said.
They informed that Union Power Ministry and administration of J&K Union Territory are constantly monitoring progress on all these projects and necessary instructions are being passed on periodically to the executing agencies.
As per the available data, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, which have topography similar to that of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and have immense potential to generate electricity, will make addition of 2490 Mega Watts and 2271 Mega Watts electricity respectively during next 3-4 years, which is far less than the addition to be made in this Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
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