The Ratle Hydroelectric Plant is a
run-of-the-river
Run-of-river hydroelectricity (ROR) or run-of-the-river hydroelectricity is a type of hydroelectric generation plant whereby little or no water storage is provided. Run-of-the-river power plants may have no water storage at all or a limited amou ...
hydroelectric power station currently under construction on the
Chenab River
The Chenab River () is a major river that flows in India and Pakistan, and is one of the 5 major rivers of the Punjab region. It is formed by the union of two headwaters, Chandra and Bhaga, which rise in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul regi ...
, downstream of the village near
Drabshalla in
Kishtwar district of the
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n
Union Territory of
Jammu and Kashmir. The project includes a tall
gravity dam and two power stations adjacent to one another. Water from the dam will be diverted through four intake tunnels about southwest to the power stations. The main power station will contain four 205
MW Francis turbines and the auxiliary power station will contain one 30 MW Francis turbine. The installed capacity of both power stations will be 850 MW. On 25 June 2013,
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone for the dam. Pakistan has frequently alleged that it violates the
Indus Waters Treaty
The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) is a water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan, arranged and negotiated by the World Bank, to use the water available in the Indus River and its tributaries. It was signed in Karachi on 19 September 1960 b ...
.
Project Status
* As of June 2015, the project is yet to start.
* In August 2017, the World Bank allowed India to construct the dam. It happened after Pakistan alleged that the construction of the dam was not in line with the Indus Water Treaty.
* The project was supposed to be complete in February 2018. In October 2018, the state government approached the central government with joint venture proposals to resume construction. If a proposal is accepted, completion is expected at earliest in 2022.
* In November, 2018, India decided to activate the construction of the project considering Pakistan's objection invalid under
Indus Waters Treaty
The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) is a water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan, arranged and negotiated by the World Bank, to use the water available in the Indus River and its tributaries. It was signed in Karachi on 19 September 1960 b ...
obligations.
* A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was exchanged among NHPC Limited, Jammu & Kashmir State Power Development Department (JKPDD) and J&K State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) for execution of 850 MW Ratle Hydroelectric Project in the presence of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi at Vijaypur in Samba district of Jammu on 3 February 2019.
*In December 2019, construction works were started by India, pushing Pakistan to send the World Bank new protests against the dam.
[
]
* A fresh Supplementary MOU between NHPC, JKSPDC has been signed on dated 03.01.2021 to execute the project through a Joint Venture Company (JVC). In the supplementary MoU, the clause of MoU dated 3 February 2019 regarding purchase of NHPCs equity by JKSPDCL from the end of the 5th year after date of commissioning over 15 years through equal installments have been deleted. Now, the share of NHPC in the Joint Venture Company shall not be brought below 51% and share of JKSPDCL shall not be brought below 49%.
* The previous MOU between GVK and JKSPDC was called off, since the construction of project was left over by GVK.
* Construction of the project has been started by the EPC contractor "MEGHA
ENGINEERING"
See also
*
Dul Hasti Hydroelectric Plant
Dul Hasti is a 390 MW hydroelectric power plant in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir, India built by NHPC. The power plant is a run-of-the-river type on the Chenab River, in a rugged, mountainous section of the Himalayas, and several hundr ...
– located upstream
*
Baglihar Dam
Baglihar Dam (Hindi: ''Baglihār Bāndh''), also known as Baglihar Hydroelectric Power Project, is a run-of-the-river power project on the Chenab River in the Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir, India. The first power project executed by the ...
– located downstream
*Sawalkot dam - Proposed dam between Baglihar and Salal dams
*
Salal Hydroelectric Power Station
Salal Dam ( hi, सलाल बाँध ''Salāl Bāndh''), also known as Salal Hydroelectric Power Station, is a run-of-the-river hydropower project on the Chenab River in the Reasi district of the Jammu and Kashmir. It was the first hydropowe ...
– located downstream of Baglihar dam
References
{{Power Plants of Jammu and Kashmir
Dams in Jammu and Kashmir
Dams under construction
Dams on the Chenab River
Hydroelectric power stations in Jammu and Kashmir
Gravity dams
Run-of-the-river power stations