Amid snowless winters, hydro power generation dips by 84% in J&K

By: Riyaz Bhat

Srinagar, Feb 17: Owing to the less snowfall and low water level, in the past one month, the hydel power generation from the power plants across Jammu and Kashmir has further reduced by five percent.

Overall, the hydro power generation from the local plants in Jammu and Kashmir has reduced by 84.17 percent.

In the month of January, the Power Development Department (PDD) was generating nearly 250 Megawatts of power from the local hydel projects that amounts to 20 percent of the total generation capacity. However, in the ongoing month, the power generation has further reduced by five percent.

A top official of the department informed the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said, “In the month of January, PDD on an average was generating nearly 250 MWs of power from the power plants across Jammu and Kashmir.”

“However, the power generation has further decreased with the officials saying that the department was able to generate only 190 MWs of power in the ongoing month,” the official said.

It also said that in the month of February, the department was facing less production. “As of now, we are generating around 190 MWs of power across Jammu and Kashmir out of a total generation capacity of 1200 MWs.”

The official further admitted that the department was not able to generate power as in previous years during the peak time. We are reeling under global warming and climate change.

“Over a period of time, we have not been able to generate the normal power that we used to generate in previous years because of less water availability. Water availability period is also shortening,” the official said.

It also said that the generation capacity cannot be measured in one day only. “The power generation varies. We reserve the water in the daytime to generate power during the peak hours. In the peak time, we are generating 50 MWs of power from the lower Jhelum and 5 MWs during the regular time. Besides, we are able to generate only 8 MW of power from the Kangan and 6 MWs from Sumbal power projects respectively,” the official said.

In Jammu and Kashmir we have a total of 1200 Megawatts (MWs) hydel power production capacity of which 900 MW is from the Baglihar Hydroelectric Power Project.

“Across Jammu and Kashmir, as far as snowfall occurrence and early winters are concerned, last year we were in the same situation with regard to the power generation in the month of February,” the official said. Adding, “This year we look forward to at least generating what we did last year. If the snow occurs now onwards there will be the added advantage of power generation.”

The official also said, “We have made some of the machines functional that were earlier defunct in the shut-down period. We are hoping that we get good outcome of it.”— (KNO)