Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Sep 06
The 900-MW Baglihar hydroelectric power project in Jammu and Kashmir may need more than two weeks to return to full generating capacity as engineers work to remove heavy silt accumulated around the gates of its 450-MW Stage-I, officials said.
Stage-I has been offline since a desilting and silt-flushing operation began on August 18, while Stage-II, also rated at 450 MW, was restored on August 22. The outage has cut the plant’s available generation capacity by half.
Officials said large quantities of silt accumulated around the gates after one was opened during the flushing operation, complicating efforts to restore the affected units.
A senior official involved in the restoration said the silt had risen to about eight metres, compared with the five-metre height of the dam gates, making its removal technically difficult and potentially hazardous.
The high water level in the Chenab has added to the challenges, officials said. Engineers are proceeding cautiously because opening the gates too soon could allow silt to enter the generating system and damage equipment.
The official estimated that restoration would take more than 15 days.
The prolonged outage has increased pressure on Jammu and Kashmir’s power supply system, with the administration arranging additional electricity from outside the region.
An official said about 400 MW would need to be purchased externally to compensate for the lost generation. Peak power demand in Jammu and Kashmir is around 2500 MW.
Baglihar, built on the Chenab River in Ramban district, has an installed capacity of 900 MW divided equally between two stages, each comprising three 150-MW generating units.
Engineers are now focused on safely clearing the accumulated silt and restoring Stage-I to service.
