Srinagar, Sep 7: While fresh Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Sawalakote hydroelectric project would be completed by this year-end, its generation capacity has now been revised to more than 1850 MWs, almost three times higher the initial estimated generation capacity of 600 MW.
The State Government has hired the services of Sawalakote Consortium for preparing the fresh DPR which would be taken up with the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) for techno-economic clearance and cost appraisal before the state takes any decision on allotting construction of the power project.
“The capacity of the project has been reassessed and approved (by the CEA) at around 1856 MWs,” said Managing Director State Power Development Corporation, Basharat Dhar. “The DPR will be ready this December.”
Dhar said when the project was conceptualized its original capacity was estimated to be around 600 MWs which was later reworked at 1200 MWs.
Principal Secretary Power Sudhanshu Pandey said the CEA has supported the hydrology over the project.
He said the state would require getting clearance on 19 parameters including Forests and Environment for construction of Sawalakote- the run of the river project located between state owned Baghliar and NHPC-run Salal on Chenab River.
A senior PDC official said the DPR has several components including water series, potential, dam design, environment studies, studies regarding local strata, geological studies and environment clearance.
The geological and environment studies of the project were underway, an official said.
Last year state cabinet approved recommendations of a Committee to prepare fresh DPR for the scheme.
Once CEA clears the project, sources said the state government would decide whether it should be allotted to the consortium or global tenders should be invited for its execution.
The construction of the project was marred by controversies since 1997 when the then National Conference government offered it for bidding.
In 2001, the then government signed a formal contract for entrusting the designing, execution and completion of the project to the consortium at the cost of around Rs 5000 crores.
When Mufti Muhammad Sayeed took over reigns of the state in 2002, the consortium was forced to renegotiate the contract.  Accordingly the generation capacity of the Sawalakote was reworked at 1200 MW at the original cost.
However, in 2006 the Ghulam Nabi Azad led coalition government had cancelled the contract and tried to float fresh global tenders. In turn the consortium had got the proposed government move stayed by Court.
Later government formed the Negotiating Committee headed by the then Chief Secretary to solve the issue.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 7 Sep 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 7 Sep 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 8 Sep 2012 00:00:00 IST