Hydropower — 'Urja Pradesh'

Himachal is called Urja Pradesh. Hydel is the state's largest own-source revenue and its biggest single infrastructure story.

• Identified potential of about 27,436 MW across five basins — Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chenab and Yamuna. The Sutlej basin holds the largest share.
• Roughly 11,000 MW has been harnessed; the state receives 12% free power (rising with project age) as royalty, plus 1% for local area development.
• Agencies: BBMB, NHPC, SJVN, NTPC, HPPCL, HPSEBL and private developers.

Major projects to know

• Bhakra — 1,325 MW (Sutlej, Bilaspur) — 226 m high, completed 1963; Gobind Sagar.
• Nathpa Jhakri — 1,500 MW (Sutlej, Kinnaur/Shimla), SJVN, commissioned 2004 — the largest underground hydel station in India.
• Karcham Wangtoo — 1,045 MW (Sutlej, Kinnaur), JSW.
• Kol Dam — 800 MW (Sutlej, Bilaspur/Mandi), NTPC.
• Dehar / Beas–Sutlej Link — 990 MW (Mandi) — diverts Beas water to the Sutlej through the Pandoh–Baggi tunnel.
• Parbati II and III (Beas basin, Kullu), NHPC.
• Chamera I, II, III (Ravi, Chamba), NHPC; Baira Siul — 180 MW, NHPC's first commissioned project in India.
• Pong — 396 MW (Beas, Kangra); Larji — 126 MW (Beas, Kullu); Giri — 60 MW (Sirmaur).
• Shanan — 110 MW (Uhl, Jogindernagar, Mandi), commissioned 1932 — the oldest project in the state, built under Raja Joginder Sen; its lease to Punjab is a live inter-state dispute.

Costs and controversy

• Run-of-the-river schemes dewater long river stretches; the Sutlej in Kinnaur is the standard example.
• Muck disposal, tunnelling-induced slope failure, and drying of springs; the Kinnaur anti-dam movement.
• GLOF and flash-flood risk to project structures — the Parechu event of 2005.