The central government is considering new hydropower projects in Jammu and Kashmir, including the long-stalled Sawalkot project, Union power secretary Pankaj Agarwal said on October 4.

Agarwal said major projects including Ratle, Pakal Dul, Kiru and Kwar are progressing well in the territory. The 1,856-megawatt Sawalkot project on the Chenab river has been cleared for a fresh push.

State-owned NHPC has floated a 5,129-crore-rupee tender for civil works on Sawalkot in the Ramban district. Originally proposed in 1984, the project stalled for decades over clearances and rehabilitation. It is designed as a run-of-the-river scheme with a 192.5-metre-high dam, expected to take 108 months to complete.

The push follows India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, after which New Delhi has moved to maximise its use of the western rivers.

Agarwal also said about 14,500 megawatts of hydropower potential has been identified in J&K, and ongoing projects will help address the territory’s power deficit.