J&K set for major hydropower capacity addition this year as Chenab projects near completion

The development comes against the backdrop of India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, which has renewed focus on harnessing the waters of the western rivers, including the Chenab, for power generation

Jammu and Kashmir is set to add 1,624 megawatts of hydropower capacity this year with two major projects on the Chenab river system expected to be commissioned by December, in a significant boost to the region’s power generation capacity.

The development comes against the backdrop of India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, which has renewed focus on harnessing the waters of the western rivers, including the Chenab, for power generation.

The two projects — the 1,000-MW Pakal Dul hydroelectric project and the 624-MW Kiru project — are being developed in Kishtwar district by Chenab Valley Power Projects Ltd.

Pakal Dul, being built on the Marusudar, a tributary of the Chenab, is expected to generate around 3,230 million units of electricity annually. The project comprises four 250-MW generating units.

Kiru, also located in Kishtwar, has an installed capacity of 624 MW and is expected to generate around 2,272 million units annually.

In January during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir directed the officials to ensure that both projects are commissioned by December 2026. 

The commissioning of Pakal Dul and Kiru would mark a major step in J&K’s long-term effort to harness its hydropower potential and assumed greater significance amid India’s broader push to develop projects on the western rivers following the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.

India placed the treaty in abeyance after the April 2025 attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 civilians.

Recent media reports suggest that the river-sharing arrangement can be restored only through a fresh agreement, and only after Pakistan permanently ceases its support for cross-border terrorism against India.

Reducing dependence 

The addition of the two projects is expected to reduce Jammu and Kashmir’s dependence on electricity purchased from outside the Union Territory while boosting its share of hydropower generation and revenues. The Chenab basin has emerged as the hub of the region’s hydropower expansion, with several major projects under construction or in the pipeline. Among them, the 850-MW Ratle project on the Chenab and the 540-MW Kwar project are both slated for commissioning in 2028.

Published on July 21, 2026