J-K Hydropower capacity to double by 2030

Jammu and Kashmir is poised for a significant boost in its hydropower sector, with the total installed generation capacity projected to reach 7,314.85 MW by 2030-31, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced on Monday.

Replying in writing to a question from National Conference MLA Khurshid Ahmad during the Legislative Assembly session, the Chief Minister, who also holds the Power Development portfolio, stated that the Union Territory currently operates 32 hydroelectric projects with a combined installed capacity of 3,540 MW.

This expansion, which would nearly double the existing capacity over the next five years, is driven by six projects under construction and eight proposed ones, expected to add approximately 3,704.5 MW in phases between 2026-27 and 2030-31. These include 13 Union Territory sector projects with a total capacity of 1,197 MW, six central sector projects generating 2,250 MW, and 12 private sector (IPP) projects with a combined capacity of 92.75 MW, Abdullah said.

The chief minister said there will be 1,685.7 MW capacity addition in 2026-27, 577.5 MW in 2027-28, 1,370 MW in 2029-30 and 141 MW in 2030-31, taking the overall installed capacity to 7,314.85 MW. Earlier, the chief minister informed the house that all the villages in the Jammu division are electrified, whether in on-grid or off-grid mode.

“No village as a whole remains un-electrified. However, some habitations or morhas or households which have recently come up are unelectrified. Efforts are underway to electrify these un-electrified or partially electrified habitations or households under the centrally sponsored scheme DA-JGUA/ UT Capex,” Abdullah said in response to a question by BJP’s Satish Kumar Sharma.

The chief minister said some rural and remote habitations or morha, not villages, like Thingen, Kanodi and Hanok of Panchayat Madoon/Dehota in the Billawar area are unelectrified or partially electrified.