Chief Minister Omar Abdullah recently gave a green signal to the second phase of the prestigious Baglihar Hydropower project. Baglihar situated on the river Chenab near Chanderkot in the Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir state, which is a complete failure both economically and on engineering basis. The phase-I of the project was started in the year 1999, and has been in news for various reasons and objections. It is such a failure that stopping such a project might prove more beneficial than actually running it.
Economic Consideration
The project was started in 1999 during Dr. Farooq Abdullah’s regime, the phase-I has an installed capacity of 450 MW, an MOU was signed in April 1999 for the project by the Jaiprakash Industries in a joint venture with SNC-Lavalin of Canada. A 144.5 m dam was constructed to deliver water through a 2.1 km tunnelto the power station. The project was then to cost Rs. 3495 crores, to be completed in five years. However due to various delays, it was commissioned last year completed with a whooping budget of Rs. 4600 crores. This means that per MW cost of Baglihar Hydropower project is around Rs 10.22 crores even at current rates. This is much almost double than the current cost of Rs 5-6 crores per MW installed capacity for most such projects. The cost of electricity from the project would consequently much higher than Rs 5 per unit. This when the citizens of the valley are unable to pay ever Rs 2 per unit charged currently. Who will pay the cost of such expensive project and who will really benefit? There was earlier attempt to show lower per MW cost of the project by clubbing the two stages ofthe project.
Hydrologic viability
Is the 900 MW Baglihar viable? How many days in a year can it generate power at that rate? It will require 860 cumecs of water, but Chenab flow reduces much below that in winter. In fact flow in Chenab reduced to upto 50 cumecs. The authorities have not made public the hydrologic data or the projected power generation from the project. The experience of the existing 690 MW Salal project on Chenab 480 MW Uri HEP on the adjoining basin Jhelum shows that these projects in fact generate much less power in winter when the need for power is maximum in the state.
Siltation
Chenab River is known to be highly silt laden river and there are frequent events of landslides, increasing the siltation rates. Construction of so many mega projects on the same River (Salal existing project, Dulhasti are under construction and Sawalkote is already being seriously considered) is also adding to the silt load of the river. Siltation of the reservoir greatly reduces the economic life of Hydropower plants.
Geology of the region
The rocks quality at the site from poor to very poor to extremely poor, the project lies on a major fault line. Any earthquake of more than 8.6 on the Richter scale can prove disastrous.
Reservoir associated phenomenon
The reservoir capacity is 15 MCM and the headrace tunnels are designed to divert water to the extent of 430 cubic meters per second. Such large amounts of water have triggered landslides in the area. Further there is a constant threat of reservoir associated earthquakes.
So Baglihar hydropower project is a bane instead of a boon. The population in the area is under a constant threat. Further it is only a loss making entity so it is better not to go forward with the phase-II
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