The central government has granted environmental clearance for the 1,856 MW Sawalkot hydroelectric project on the Chenab River in Jammu & Kashmir, which is to be developed by NHPC Limited.
The project will span Ramban, Reasi, and Udhampur districts and will be developed in two stages. The first stage will comprise six units of 225 MW and one unit of 56 MW, while the second stage will include two units of 225 MW. The project will involve a 192.5-metre-high concrete dam, a short upstream water channel, an underground powerhouse, and a tailrace system to return water to the river. The project is estimated to cost over Rs 313.8 billion, require over 1,401 hectares of land, and construction is expected to commence once formalities are completed with the union territory government. The expert committee has stipulated several conditions for the project, including an online ecological flow monitoring system, compensation for landowners and forest rights holders, third-party compliance audits and an independent environmental impact review five years after commissioning.