Hydropower heartland power starved in winter

Srinagar, Dec 13: Jammu and Kashmir is importing around 3000 megawatts (MW) of electricity from outside generating companies to meet surging winter demand, as local hydropower generation has sharply declined due to low river discharge.

Official figures accessed by Greater Kashmir show that the widening demand-supply gap has also led to increased power curtailments by the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) across several areas of the Valley.

Against an installed hydropower capacity of nearly 3500 MW in J&K, actual generation has fallen to around 900 MW during the ongoing lean period.

Of this, only about 105 MW is being generated from J&K-owned power plants, while nearly 805 MW is coming from central sector projects in J&K.

The remaining shortfall is being met through imports arranged via power trading agencies.

“This is the lean season when our dependence on external sources goes up substantially,” a senior Power Development Department (PDD) official said. “The government has directed that power be purchased to ensure essential supply, but the gap is large and difficult to bridge fully.”

According to official data, output from J&K’s own hydropower projects has dipped to around 105 MW against an installed capacity of 1140 MW.

Generation from major projects such as Baglihar, Lower Jhelum, and Upper Sindh, as well as central sector plants including Salal, Dul Hasti, Uri, and Kishanganga, remains far below capacity due to reduced water discharge.

The slump in generation has coincided with a sharp rise in winter consumption.

Officials said electricity demand in Kashmir has crossed 2000 MW, forcing KPDCL to resort to load shedding in several areas to manage the deficit.

“With demand increasing rapidly during winter, scheduled and unscheduled power cuts have become unavoidable in some pockets,” a KPDCL official said. “We are trying to manage the situation through load regulation, but the pressure on the system is very high.”

An official of the power trading corporation said procurement from outside sources has been stepped up to mitigate the crisis.

“We have been asked to procure additional power from the market to meet the growing demand. However, availability and cost are major constraints, especially during peak winter months when demand rises across the northern region,” the official said.

Officials said the situation may improve only if there is substantial snowfall and rainfall in the catchment areas, which would help increase river discharge and boost hydropower generation.

Meanwhile, the power sector in Jammu and Kashmir continues to face serious financial stress. As per official records, the J&K’s total power purchase liability has reached Rs 4751 crore as of September 30.

Experts attribute the mounting burden to low billing efficiency, high transmission and distribution losses, and power pilferage.

With winter tightening its grip, officials concede that dependence on imported power – and associated load shedding - may continue in the coming weeks unless hydrological conditions improve.