Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project

Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project Latest News

India recently started work on the Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project on the River Chenab in Jammu and Kashmir—the first such new project to get the green light from the government after the abrogation of the Indus Water Treaty.

About Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project

• It is a 1,856-MW run-of-the-river hydropower project on the Chenab River in the Ramban District of Jammu and Kashmir. 
• It will be the largest hydroelectric project in the Union Territory and one of the biggest in North India.
• The project has been in the planning stage since the 1980s and has undergone multiple revisions to address environmental, ecological, and technical concerns.
• The project will be built by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).
• It will comprise nine turbines and an underground power station. 
• It will feature a Roller Compacted Concrete Gravity Dam at a height of 192.5 metres.
• It will produce around 8000 million units of electricity every year.
• The plant will ensure reliable power supply to the region, particularly during the harsh winter months, when electricity demand peaks and shortages are common.
• It also has the potential to turn J-K into a power-surplus region, creating scope for exporting surplus energy to the national grid.
• By regulating the flow of the Chenab River, the Sawalkote project could contribute to flood mitigation downstream, while also ensuring better water management for agriculture and domestic use.
• It is a key part of India’s plan to fully utilise its share of water from the western rivers under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). 
• It is the first major hydropower project on the Indus rivers to be accorded environmental clearance following India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) on April 23, 2025, following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Source: NEWS18

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