With Indus Water Treaty On Ice, J&K's Mega Hydro Push Powers Ahead

(MENAFN- Live Mint)

New Delhi: With the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan kept in abeyance, India is moving forward on four key hydropower and reservoir projects in Jammu & Kashmir, aiming to boost storage and power capacity on the Chenab and Jhelum rivers.

These projects include the 930 MW Kirthai 2, Tulbul barrage and navigation project, 240 MW Uri 1 - Stage II, and 2x130 Dulhasti Stage II.

"After the IWT episode (abeyance of Indus Water Treaty), four projects have already gained momentum, Kirthai 2, Uri 1 Stage II, Dulhasti Stage II and Tulbul project. Other key projects such as Sawalkot are also expected to see movement soon," said a person in the know of the developments.

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The person said that the memorandum of changes for the 930 MW Kirthai 2 hydroelectric project on the Chenab river has been approved by the Central Electricity Authority and the Central Water Commission . The design changes have been approved, which may lead to a slight decline in power generation capacity, but the storage capacity is expected to go up.

As per the current design, the 930 MW hydro project would have a maximum live storage of 17.0 million cubic meters (MCM) and diurnal storage of 2.4 MCM for peaking purpose.

The project is being developed by Chenab Valley Power Projects Ltd, a joint venture of NHPC and Jammu & Kashmir State Power Corporation Limited (JKSPDCL). The estimated cost of the project as per previous estimates was around ₹6,300 crore.

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"The Tulbul navigation project on the Jhelum would also resume soon. The project would include the Tulbul barrage near Sopore and an inland waterway project on the Jhelum," said a second person, while adding that the storage capacity of the barrage would be increased by 300 MCM and state-run NHPC will prepare the detailed feasibility report (DFR) and detailed project report (DPR) for the project.

Queries sent to the Union ministry of power and NHPC remained unanswered till press time.

Tulbul project was initially conceived to facilitate navigation on the Jhelum river during the winter months of October-February, but it had to be stalled after reservations put forward by Pakistan. After the IWT was kept in abeyance, Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah had called for revival of the project.

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Further, both the tendering process for the the civil works of the 240 MW Uri 1 - Stage II and the 2x130 MW Dulhasti Stage II are underway. Both the projects would be developed by state-run NHPC. The overall cost of the above-mentioned three hydro power projects would range between ₹10,000 crore and ₹28,000 crore.

India suspended the 1960 water-sharing agreement as part of its diplomatic response to the deadly 22 April Pahalgam attack by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.

The water-distribution deal, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, capped India's storage capacity on the western rivers in the Indus basin-Indus, Jhelum, Chenab-at 3.6 maf (million acre feet). However, with treaty in abeyance, India has started expediting the process of construction of long-delayed projects and also expanding the storage capacity of these projects.

During his June visit to J&K, Union power minister Manohar Lal noted that the Union Territory has a huge hydropower potential that should be effectively utilized.

The potential of hydropower projects on the Indus basin is estimated at 32.32GW, out of which 15.55GW is operational, and 4.8GW is under construction.

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