J&K’s hydel power generation touches 4,526.87 MU till January

Srinagar, Feb 27: The Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) has generated 4,526.87 million units (MU) of hydel power till January 2026 during the ongoing financial year 2025–26, which runs from April 2025 to March 2026, official data shows, even as the Union Territory continues to grapple with a recurring winter power crisis.

Officials said that despite repeated assurances, the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation has made little progress in significantly enhancing generation capacity, resulting in continued dependence on imported electricity, particularly during the lean winter months.

Data reflect a mixed but largely declining trend in hydel generation over recent years.

The output stood at 5,452 MU in 2019–20, dropped to 5,123 MU in 2020–21, showed a slight recovery to 5,281 MU in 2021–22, and again declined to 5,199 MU in 2022–23. Officials said the latest figures indicate that generation levels have yet to return to earlier highs, even as demand has risen steadily.

JKSPDC operates 13 state-owned hydropower stations, including Baglihar I and II on the Chenab river and the Lower Jhelum and Upper Sindh projects on the Jhelum, with a combined installed capacity of about 1,197 MW. However, actual power generation often drops below 400 to 500 MW during winter due to reduced river discharge, a seasonal phenomenon that sharply impacts hydropower output.

In J&K, electricity generation from state-owned hydel projects is falling by more than 50 per cent in the lean season. Officials said this forces the administration to rely heavily on imported power to bridge the widening gap between supply and demand.

Central sector hydropower plants managed by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation contribute nearly 2,300 MW to the overall installed capacity in the region. These include major projects such as Salal, Dul Hasti, Uri and Kishanganga. However, J&K receives only a limited share of power from these stations during peak winter demand.

According to officials from the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited, J&K is currently importing more than 2,000 MW of electricity from external generation companies. During the lean season, combined generation from both state and central sector powerhouses drops to around 1,000 to 1,200 MW against a peak winter demand of nearly 3,000 MW.

Officials also cited delays in commissioning new projects as a major factor worsening the situation. Projects such as the New Ganderbal hydropower project with a capacity of 93 MW and the Lower Kalnai project of 48 MW have been pending for years and are unlikely to be completed before 2027. The Mohra project has also been delayed till at least 2026, further limiting the scope for capacity addition in the near term.

High Aggregate Technical and Commercial losses, estimated at around 45 per cent, are also aggravating the power crisis. Officials said nearly half of the electricity supplied either goes unbilled or remains unpaid, severely affecting revenue recovery and forcing the government to bridge the deficit through budgetary support.