Dulhasti hydel power project

Why in News?

A panel under the Ministry of Environment has approved the 260-megawatt Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower project in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district.

• Dulhasti-I – It is a run-of-the-river scheme commissioned in 2007 by NHPC Ltd.
• Dulhasti Stage-II – It is an extension of the existing 390 MW Dulhasti Stage-I Hydro Electric Project (Dulhasti Power Station).
• It will utilise the existing dam, reservoir, and power intake of the stage-I project, and draw water from the Marusudar River through the Pakal Dul project.

Marusudar River - A major tributary of the Chenab, crucial for downstream ecology and communities.

• Located on – The Chenab River in the Kishtwar district, Jammu & Kashmir.
• Developed by – NHPC Limited on a Build, Own, Operate, and Transfer (BOOT) basis.
• Capacity – It is designed to generate 803.33 million units annually with an installed capacity of 260 MW (2 × 130 MW).
• Beneficiaries – Power is supplied to the Northern Grid, benefiting states including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Delhi.
• Other hydroelectric projects in the Indus basin – Such as Sawalkote, Ratle, Bursar, Pakal Dul, Kwar, Kiru, and Kirthai I and II.
• Geopolitical Context – The Chenab basin is shared between India and Pakistan under the Indus Waters Treaty (1960).
• India suspended the treaty on April 23, 2025, following the Pahalgam terror attack.

Quick Fact

References

1. The Hindu | Centre's nod to Dulhasti hydel power project
2. Indian Express |  Centre's nod to Dulhasti hydel power project
3. Britannica | River Chenab