Jammu, Feb 9 : Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) government said on Monday that the UT has 32 operational hydropower projects with 3,540.15 megawatts of installed capacity.

The Omar Abdullah-led NC government on Monday informed the Legislative Assembly that the Union Territory has 32 operational hydropower projects with an aggregate installed capacity of 3,540.15 megawatts (MW) across Jammu and Kashmir.

A written reply to a starred question raised by MLA, Khurshid Ahmad and tabled in the House by the Minister incharge of the Power Development Department, said, out of the total operational capacity, 13 projects with a combined capacity of 1,197 MW are in the Central Sector, 6 projects with 2,250 MW capacity are in the State Sector, while 13 projects with an aggregate capacity of 72.75 MW are being operated by Independent Power Producers (IPPs).

The government further stated that an additional power capacity of 3,704.5 MW is expected to be added through eight new hydropower projects that are proposed or currently under construction in the Union Territory over the next five years, from 2026-27 to 2030â??31.

Responding to a query regarding the Ans (Nandoli) Hydroelectric Project in Gulabgarh constituency, the government confirmed that the 40 MW project was tendered during 2011â??12 and formally allotted in November 2012, with the implementation agreement executed in March 2013.

However, the project has faced prolonged delays due to non-performance by the Independent Power Producer (IPP). The government said a notice of default was issued to the IPP in August 2025, following which the Detailed Project Report and financial analysis were submitted.

The financial assessment indicated that the project would require a 40-year levelized tariff of Rs 7.30 per unit, rendering it technically and economically unviable under prevailing market conditions.

The IPP has sought exit from the project along with a refund of the deposited premium, citing external factors and policy-related constraints.

The matter is presently under consideration by the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation (JKPDCL) in accordance with the provisions of the implementation agreement and the Hydro Electric Power Policy, 2011, the government added.

/IANS