 Jammu and Kashmir State is all set to get some respite from power crisis with the commissioning and generation of electricity by the 120-MW hydro power project Sewa-II of National Hydro Projects Corporation (NHPC) in the Basholi belt of Jammu and Kashmir. The hydro power project was declared commissioned by Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde in Jammu & Kashmir in the presence of the state Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on September 29, 2010. The electricity generated from this prestigious project will not only benefit people of the J&K State but its beneficiaries will also be Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Rajasthan and Chandigarh.
The project is located on river Ravi at Maska (Basholi) bordering Himachal Pradesh and has been constructed by the NHPC at a cost of Rs. 1061 crore and has been completed in seven years by National Hydro Power Corporation. The dam of the Power Project is situated at a village Ghatti about 80 kms from Basohli in Kathua district and 150 kms from Lakhanpur. The Power Station is at village Maksha at the junction of rive Ravi and Sewa tributary. J&K State is getting free 13 per cent power out of the total power generated by Sewa-II Power Station.
 J&K State has vast hydropower potential of which major portion is yet to be developed . Out of the total power generation capacity of 20,000 MWs in Jammu and Kashmir, only 2456.20 MWs has been harnessed in the State, Central and Private sector to harness the maximum possible potential for power. NHPC is playing an important role in developing the potential and is associated with the development of hydropower in Jammu & Kashmir. So far NHPC has commissioned four projects with combined capacity of 1,680 MW in the state and four projects with combined capacity of 659 MW are under construction. State Government is also pursuing the construction of 1,020 MW Bursar Project on a priority basis while work on the three projects in the state is to be implemented under joint venture route.
Various power projects with the generation capacity of about 4,000 MWs have been conceived by the State Power Development Corporation and are at various stages of execution at present. In addition to this various projects are underway to utilise the power potential of the State. The Projects include Baglihar-II which has the power generation capacity of 450 MWs. The Project is being executed in State Sector. The Detailed Project Report in the Project has been submitted to Central Electrical Authority (CEA) while the essential works of the Project are under execution.
Sawlakote-I and II Project is being undertaken under State Sector which has the power generation capacity of 1200 MWs. With the power generation capacity of 50 MWs, the Lower Kalnai Project has been undertaken BY Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation. Rattle Project having the capacity of 690 MWs is being undertaken by and Independent Power Producer (IPP).
The Project awarded to GVK Development Project Limited on BOOT (Build, Own, Operate and Transfer) basis. Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for the implementation in Private Public Participation (PPP) mode has been formed and selection of partner through bidding process has been initiated in Kirthai-I Project having the power generation capacity of 240 MWs. Kiru Project and Kawar Project has been undertaken as joint ventures of Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC), National Hydel Power Corporation (NHPC) and Power Trading Corporation (PTC) which has the capacity of 600 MW and 520 MWs respectively. Pakaldul Project which has the power generation capacity of 1000 MWs is being taken up as a joint venture of JKSPDC, NHPC and PTC. Projects under progress under Central Sector include Kishenganga( 330 MWs), Nimo Bazgo(45 MWs), Chutak(44MWs), Uri –II(240 MWs) and Bursar(1020MWs).
As and when all these projects are commissioned and start power generation, the Jammu and Kashmir State will not only be self-sufficient in meeting the power requirements of people of the State but will be having surplus power which it can sell off to other States. The State will then have no longer to import power from Northern Grid and other States to meet its power requirements. But for that to realise, people of the J&K State may have to wait for the time being.
R.K.Raina, AIR Correspondent, Jammu
| 
