‘Shongtong hydel project to be completed in July 2025’

shimla: Focusing on harnessing the state’s hydro-power potential, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu has set a target of July 2025 for completion of the over-delayed 450 MW Shongtong Hydroelectric Power Project.

The Shongtong Karcham is a run-of-river power project with an underground power house located on river Satluj, upstream of HPP Karcham Wangtoo in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh.

While presiding over a review meeting, here on Friday evening, the chief minister said that for this project the tender was awarded in 2012, but the construction work

had been delayed due to various reasons.

Delayed projects incur increased costs and losses to the state, therefore the project needed to be completed within stipulated time frame.

He directed the officers of the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) to resolve all the bottlenecks causing delays within a week.

The review meeting has been scheduled after three months.

Sukhu said that completion of the Shongtong Hydroelectric Power Project would generate 1579 million units of electricity annually, providing the state with a total benefit of Rs. 1706 crore, with Rs. 1300 crore worth of electricity generated.