Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project
Syllabus: Environment, Geography, Infrastructure (UPSC Prelims)
Source: DH
Context
The Union Environment Ministry’s Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) has granted a fresh environmental clearance to the Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project on the Chenab River in Jammu & Kashmir.
About the Project
- Type: Run-of-the-river hydroelectric project designed to utilize the Chenab River’s flow for clean energy generation.
- Developer: National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Ltd.
- Significance: One of India’s largest hydro projects in the Indus River basin.
River and Location
- River: Chenab River — a major west-flowing tributary of the Indus River.
- Location: Ramban district, Jammu & Kashmir.
- Project Area: Around 1,159 hectares, including both riverine and forest land.
Historical Background
- Proposed: 1984
- Initial Clearance: Granted in 2017 under the Jammu & Kashmir Power Development Corporation (JKPDC).
- Transfer to NHPC: Taken over by NHPC in 2021, with operation rights till 2061.
- Re-Clearance (2025): Approved following India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (April 2025), accelerating key projects on western rivers for strategic and energy security reasons.
Key Features
- Installed Capacity:1,856 MW
- Stage I: 1,406 MW
- Stage II: 450 MW
- Dam Type: 192.5-metre concrete gravity dam
- Reservoir Capacity: 530 million cubic metres
- Annual Energy Generation: Approx. 8,000 million units (MUs)
- Revised Cost: ₹31,380 crore (up from ₹22,000 crore earlier)
Significance
- Strengthens India’s hydropower capacity and energy self-reliance.
- Enhances water utilization in the western rivers of the Indus Basin.
- Supports low-carbon transition and regional development in Jammu & Kashmir.
