Baglihar Hydropower Project Dam on Chenab River
SRINAGAR: Operations have been suspended in the first phase of the 450 MW Baglihar hydropower project on the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir after it was submerged in water two days ago.As water entered the project’s machine room, engineers immediately stopped power generation to prevent damage to important electromechanical components.
The project, located in the Ramban district, is a major contributor to the region’s energy supply.
Since the first phase of the project is still pending, the second phase will be commissioned, adding another 450 MW of capacity. Officials said the area was not affected by the floods.A senior official described the incident as a minor flood that occurred during scheduled maintenance work. In any case, the first phase was scheduled to remain closed for three months for repair work, the official said.
“Since the first phase has to remain closed for 90 days, we will operate the second phase during this period,” he said.The first stage usually operates at full load for seven to eight months and at partial load for three to four months annually, the official said. However, the second stage operates for about four months, from July to September, by design, as there is not enough discharge to operate both stages simultaneously during the lean period. “Now that the first phase of repairs has been closed, we will begin the second phase, which remains closed during the lean period,” he said.
