Dharamsala, June 19, 2013: Except the Baspa hydropower project ,all the hydropower plants in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh remained shut for the fourth consecutive day today following a high silt level in the Sutlej river.
Official sources said that this has created a power crisis in the northern states of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. The plants in Kinnaur district were shut down on Sunday as the silt level in the river shot up following incessant rains. And according to Vijay Verma, deputy general manager of Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd. (SJVNL),the generation may not start for another couple of days. He said power generation cannot be resumed till the silt content comes down.
“The silt level in the river is still alarmingly higher than the permissible limit,” said Vijay Verma, deputy general manager of Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd. (SJVNL), the company that owns and operates the 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri power project. Jaypee Group’s 1,000 MW Karcham Wangtoo Hydroelectric Project has also been shut.
However, its other 300 MW Baspa hydropower project, located upstream of the Karcham Wangtoo project, resumed generation Tuesday.