SRINAGAR: With frequent rainfall and an improvement in weather conditions, hydropower generation in Jammu and Kashmir has increased by 44 percent over the past month.
Previously, the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department (JKPDD) faced an 84.17 percent decline in power generation due to low water levels, generating only 16 percent of the total capacity.
A senior official said that the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) recently recorded a peak hydropower generation of 721 Megawatts (MW) from local plants.
“From the power plants in the Kashmir region, we are currently able to produce 110 MW, while the peak generation from Jammu-based plants stands at 611 MW,” the official said.
The official added that the department expects a further increase in power generation in the coming weeks, depending on water availability and weather conditions.
“At present, we are producing more than 60 percent of the total capacity, which is 1197.4 MW,” the official said.
Notably, until the third week of February, Jammu and Kashmir relied on over 85 percent of coal and solar energy due to a significant drop in hydropower output.
Officials from the Power Development Department had earlier said that local hydropower generation had declined by nearly 90 percent.
One official had stated, “Currently, Jammu and Kashmir is 85 to 90 percent dependent on coal and solar energy, which is procured from other states, as we do not have sufficient local generation.”
“In winter, hydropower generation from local plants drops by almost 90 percent, and to meet the demand, we rely on coal-based energy sourced from outside,” the official had added. (KNO)
