Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 330MW Kishanganga Hydro-Electric Project (HEP), which has been built with an investment of Rs58.82bn ($860m) in Jammu and Kashmir.
Image: Inauguration ceremony of the Kishanganga hydropower project in Jammu and Kashmir. Photo: courtesy of NHPC Ltd.
Modi said that the commissioning of the Kishanganga hydropower plant is as an important step towards addressing the power requirements of Jammu and Kashmir and other states.
Covered under the Indus Waters Treaty signed by India and Pakistan, the hydropower plant will supply clean electricity to several Indian states, which includes 12% free power to Jammu and Kashmir.
Constructed along River Kishanganga in Bandipora district, the hydropower plant has been designed to generate 1,350 million units of clean power annually, thereby offsetting greenhouse emissions.
NHPC, the state-owned company is the owner of the Kishanganga HEP, which is made up of three hydro power units, each of 110MW. Last month, the project was completed by NHPC and BHEL following the commissioning of the third unit.
BHEL, which is also a state-owned company in India, delivered the electro-mechanical (E&M) package for the hydro power project. This was under a contract worth Rs4.95bn ($76m) given in 2010 from NHPC.
Prior to that, in 2009, NHPC had given a Rs27.26bn ($40m) engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the Kishanganga hydropower plant to a consortium of Hindustan Construction (HCC) and Halcrow Group.
As per NHPC, the Kishanganga HEP produces electricity from the diversion of water of the river to an underground power house through a 23.25km long head race tunnel.
In addition to the inauguration of the Kishanganga project, Modi also laid the foundation stone of the 1,000MW Pakal Dul hydropower project, also in Jammu and Kashmir. To be built with an investment of Rs81.12bn ($1.19bn) in Kishtwar district, Pakal Dul is expected to be the largest hydro power project in the northern Indian state.
According to NHPC, the Pakal Dul hydropower project to be built on Marusudar River, the main right bank tributary of the Chenab River will feature four hydropower units, each of 250MW capacity.