Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited (CVPPL), a joint venture of state-owned NHPC (49%), Jammu and Kashmir State Development Corporation (JKSPDC) (49%) and PTC (2%) has selected global engineering company Voith Hydro to supply turbines, generators and auxiliary equipement for the construction of the 1,000 MW Pakal Dul hydropower project in the Jammu and Kashmir region of India. The project will be built on the Marusadar River, the main tributary of the Chenab river and will include four 250 MW Francis turbines and generators. The project is expected to be commissioned in 2024 at the earliest.
The Indian government recently approved the introduction of a new policy meant to promote the hydropower sector and declared that large hydropower projects will now be considered as a renewable energy source part of the non-solar renewable purchase obligation (RPO). Previously, only hydropower projects smaller than 25 MW were categorised under the renewable energy programmes and were accordingly covered under the non-solar RPO. This new policy change removes the distinction between small projects of up to 25 MW capacity and large projects above the 25 MW threshold and will help the country to source 40% of its total power generation capacity from renewable energies by 2030, as stipulated in its submitted Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).