As of 24 June 2026 the 624 MW Kiru Hydroelectric Power Project in Kishtwar (Chenab Valley) has recorded 83.46% physical progress and targets commissioning in December 2026.
Project Snapshot
- Capacity & Type: 624 MW run‑of‑river; annual generation ~2,272 million units (MU).
- Location: Kishtwar district, Chenab basin, Jammu & Kashmir.
- Progress & Expenditure: 83.46% physical progress; cumulative expenditure Rs 3,733.26 crore (as on 24 Jun 2026).
- Commissioning: Targeted December 2026; original dates: Sep 2023 → Jul 2025 → Dec 2026 (≈39 months overall delay).
Cost, Approvals & Causes of Delay
- Original sanction: Jan 2022 at Rs 4,287.59 crore.
- Revised cost: Rs 5,409 crore; increase ≈ Rs 1,121.41 crore.
- Delay factors: geological complexity, difficult mountainous terrain, adverse weather and logistics in Chenab Valley.
Technical Features
- Dam & Works: 135 m concrete gravity dam, diversion tunnels and pressure shafts.
- Powerhouse & Turbines: Underground powerhouse with four 156 MW vertical Francis turbines.
- Generation unit: Annual output expressed in MU (1 MU = 1 million kWh).
Institutional & Basin Linkages
- Developer: Chenab Valley Power Projects Pvt Ltd (CVPPPL), JV: NHPC 51% — JKSPDC 49%.
- Programme linkage: Part of Chenab basin hydroelectric development programme.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- NHPC: Central public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Power focused on hydroelectric projects.
- Francis turbine: Common for medium‑head schemes; suitable for heads from ~10 m to several hundred metres.