Kiru Hydropower Project enters final stretch, completion targeted for December 2026

Srinagar, Jun 24: The 624-MW Kiru Hydroelectric Power Project in Kishtwar district of Chenab Valley has entered the final phase of construction, with the latest monitoring report of the Centre showing that more than 83 percent of the work has been completed and commissioning is targeted for December 2026. According to official documents reviewed by the Ministry of Power and accessed by Greater Kashmir, the project has achieved 83.46 percent physical progress, while cumulative expenditure has reached Rs 3733.26 crore. The latest completion target has been fixed as December 2026. The documents reveal that the project, approved in January 2022, has undergone a significant cost revision. While the original sanctioned cost was Rs 4287.59 crore, the revised project cost now stands at Rs 5409 crore, reflecting an increase of more than Rs 1121 crore. The latest status is that major construction is complete, and the project is moving into the final stage: installing and commissioning the critical electro-mechanical components. The Kiru project has witnessed repeated revisions in its commissioning schedule. Initially slated for completion in September 2023, the deadline was later revised to July 2025 and has now been extended to December 2026, resulting in an overall delay of nearly 39 months from the original target. Officials have attributed the delays and cost escalation to geological complexities, challenging terrain, adverse weather conditions and logistical difficulties associated with executing large-scale infrastructure projects in the mountainous Chenab Valley region. Despite the setbacks, the project has recorded substantial progress and remains among the most important hydroelectric projects currently under construction in Jammu and Kashmir. Developed by Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited (CVPPPL), the project is a joint venture between National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC), with NHPC holding a 51 percent stake and JKSPDC 49 percent. The run-of-river project on the Chenab River is designed to generate about 2272 million units of electricity annually after commissioning. It is expected to strengthen the northern grid while contributing significantly to the country's renewable energy generation capacity. The project comprises a 135-metre-high concrete gravity dam, diversion tunnels, pressure shafts and an underground powerhouse equipped with four vertical Francis turbine units of 156 MW each, taking the total installed capacity to 624 MW. Strategically located between the Kirthai-II and Kwar hydroelectric projects, Kiru forms an integral part of the larger Chenab basin hydroelectric development programme aimed at harnessing the river's vast power generation potential. The foundation stone for the project was laid in March 2019 after receiving environmental clearance and Cabinet approval in 2016. However, like several other hydropower projects in the Himalayan region, Kiru has faced implementation challenges arising from difficult geological conditions and the complexities of construction in remote mountainous terrain.