The Jammu & Kashmir government has unveiled an ambitious roadmap to nearly triple its installed hydropower capacity to around 11,000 MW by 2035, as part of a broader push to harness its vast renewable energy potential. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated that the Union Territory has an estimated hydropower potential of about 18,000 MW, of which nearly 15,000 MW has already been identified.
Currently, only around 3,540 MW about 24% of the identified potential has been developed. The government is now accelerating efforts through a combination of under-construction projects and those in various planning and approval stages.
Pipeline of Projects and Development Roadmap
The roadmap includes 3,063.5 MW of capacity from six hydroelectric projects that are already underway, as well as 4,507 MW from eight projects that are still in the bidding, awarding, or clearance stages. Around 100 to 150 MW is also expected to come from projects in the private sector.
This structured expansion plan is aimed at significantly boosting power generation capacity while improving energy security and reducing dependence on external power procurement.
Draft Hydel Policy to Attract Private Investment
The government has written a draft hydel power policy to help this growth. The policy focuses on getting private companies involved, especially in small hydro projects on rivers and streams.
The policy proposes that independent power producers (IPPs) will supply free power or royalty to the Union Territory after a specified period of commercial operation. This mechanism is expected to lower electricity procurement costs and benefit consumers across J&K.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, “Draft J&K hydel policy 2025 has been framed based on learnings from the past and outcome of the previous polices, best practices from neighbouring states have also been incorporated”.
He further added, “The supply of free power by IPPs to J&K reduces the overall cost of purchase of electricity and consequently benefits the power consumers of the whole UT,”
Policy Push and Strategic Advantage
The government noted that recent policy developments have removed earlier constraints, enabling faster project execution and a more proactive approach to hydropower development.
Driving Energy Security and Economic Growth
J&K is becoming a major hydropower hub thanks to a strong project pipeline and government support. The plan to both increase capacity and draw in private investment is expected to boost the economy, create jobs, and make the region’s energy supply more stable in the long term.
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