Context: The stalled Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project is under renewed consideration. The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Environment Ministry is set to review its clearance amidst the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) being in abeyance after the Pahalgam terror attack.
Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: About Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project (HEP).
Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project (HEP):
- Sawalkote HEP is located on the Chenab River in Jammu & Kashmir.
- It has a planned installed capacity of 1865 MW (1406 MW in Stage I and 450 MW in Stage II).
- The project involves a 192.5-metre-high concrete gravity dam with a reservoir capacity of 530 MCM spread over 1,159 hectares.
- It is officially termed a run-of-river scheme, but experts contest this due to its large reservoir.
Delays surrounding the Project:
- Originally conceived in 1984, the project has faced delays due to Centre-State disagreements and restrictions imposed by the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) that limited India’s use of western rivers.
- In 2017, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) recommended environmental clearance, but final approval was withheld due to pending forest clearance.
- After the suspension of the IWT in 2025 following the Pahalgam terror attack, the project was revived as a strategic priority for India.
The government views it as critical for strengthening energy security in Jammu & Kashmir and for enhancing India’s strategic leverage over the Chenab River.