Satluj Jal Vidyut gets hydroelectric projects in Bhutan

Shimla, Sep 29 (IANS) The government-run hydroelectric major Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN), which operates the 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri hydropower project in Himachal Pradesh, will set up two power projects in Bhutan, the company's top official said here Monday.

Under an agreement signed between SJVN and the central government last week in Delhi, the projects in the neighbouring country - 900 MW Wangchu and 486 MW Kholangchu - would be executed by the company there.

'The government of India last week told us (the SJVN) to execute two hydroelectric projects, one at Wangchu and another at Kholangchu, in Bhutan,' H.K. Sharma, SJVN chairman and managing director, told IANS.

SJVN has already entered into an agreement with the Nepal government for the implementation of the 402 MW Arun III power project there.

'A team of experts from Bhutan had visited the Nathpa-Jhakri project site and wanted similar projects in their country, which has the same Himalayan geology,' said Sharma.

The Nathpa Jhakri project, which is SJVN's maiden project in Himachal's Kinnaur district, commenced commercial generation from its six units of 250 MW each in September 2003.

Presently, SJVN is executing the Luhri hydel (755 MW) and Rampur (412 MW) projects in Shimla district and the Khab project (1,020 MW) in Kinnaur .

In Uttrakhand, three projects - the Devsari project in Chamoli district and the Nitwar Mori and the Jakhol Sankri projects in Uttarkashi district - are under execution.

'SJVN is the first company in the country to get World Bank funding, our Rampur project was granted $400 million,' he said.