Severe power crisis hits Himachal as hydel projects’ output falls 90%

The state is grappling with a severe power crisis as the gap between electricity demand and supply has widened amid bone-chilling weather conditions. The state is facing drastically reduced power generation in most hydel projects and an overburdened transmission system.

Daily average generation

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- Name of power house

- Installed capacity

- Current output

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Bassi (Joginder Nagar)

66 MW

8.5. MW

Binwa

13.5 MW

6 MW

Baner

12 MW

0.8 MW

Gajj

10.5 MW

0.8 MW

Khauli

12 MW

0.6 MW

Bhuri Singh

450 KW

50 KW

According to data from the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB), power generation in Kangra and parts of Mandi districts has plummeted to just 10% of total capacity in various hydel projects, even as the intense cold has driven up power demand manifold. During peak hours, HPSEB has been relying on supply from the national grid to meet daily electricity requirements.

Dheeraj Dhiman, Superintending Engineer of HPSEB Generation Circle Palampur, told The Tribune that power generation in hydel projects under his jurisdiction has dropped by 90% over the past two months compared to peak output periods. “The average power generation during August-September is around 26 lakh units per day. Today, it has fallen to 2.9 lakh units per day,” he said.

The drastic decline is attributed to reduced water flow in rivers such as Uhal, Binwa, Baner, Gajj, and Neugal, which feed multiple power projects in Kangra. "The water flow has decreased by 70%, severely affecting power generation," Dhiman added.

The water shortage has also affected private hydel projects, which have seen a similar 90% reduction in power generation.

The Shanan Power Project, managed by the Punjab Government at Joginder Nagar, has also been hit hard. Its power generation has dropped to 12 MW per day compared to its installed capacity of 110 MW, as the Uhal river has nearly dried up at Barot.