Pakal Dul Hydropower Project | 12 May 2025

Why in News? 

The Central government has taken a significant step by fast-tracking approval for the electricity transmission line of the 1,000 MW Pakal Dul hydropower project in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir. 

 Key Points 

  • About the Project: 
    • The Ministry of Power approved the Pakal Dul transmission line in 40 days. 
    • This accelerated clearance reflects the government's urgency to harness more water from the Indus River Basin for domestic use. 
    • Authorities expect to commission the 1,000 MW project by September 2026. 
      • The transmission line will pass through 21 villages in Kishtwar district. 
    • Chenab Valley Power Projects Limited (CVPPL), a subsidiary of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), will implement the Pakal Dul project. 
  • India's Highest Dam on Indus System: 
    • Located on the Marusudar River, a tributary of the Chenab, the Pakal Dul project will feature India’s tallest dam on the Indus system at 167 meters. 
    • The dam also promises a much larger storage capacity compared to previous hydropower projects in the region. 

 Chenab River 

  • Source: It rises in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh state. 
    • The river is formed by the confluence of two rivers, Chandra and Bhaga, at Tandi, 8 km southwest of Keylong, in the Lahaul and Spiti district. 
      • The Bhaga river originates from Surya taal lake, which is situated a few kilometers west of the Bara-lacha la pass in Himachal Pradesh. 
    • The Chandra river originates from glaciers east of the same pass (near Chandra Taal). 
  • Flows Through: It flows through the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir into the plains of Punjab, Pakistan, before flowing into the Indus River. 
  • Important projects/dams on Chenab: 
    • Ratle Hydro Electric Project 
    • Salal Dam- hydroelectric power project near Reasi 
    • Dul Hasti Hydroelectric Plant- power project in Kishtwar District 
    • Pakal Dul Dam (under construction)- on a tributary Marusadar River in Kishtwar District. 
    • Kiru Hydroelectric Project (Kishtwar District) 

Chenab River