Ratle Hydroelectric Plant

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Ratle Dam
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Location of Ratle Dam in Jammu and Kashmir
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Ratle Hydroelectric Plant (India)
Country India
Location Drabshalla, Kishtwar district, Jammu and Kashmir
Coordinates 33°10′55″N75°48′19″E / 33.1819°N 75.8052°E / 33.1819; 75.8052
Purpose Power
StatusUnder construction
Construction began2022
Opening date2026 (est.)
Owner(s)NHPC LIMITED
Dam and spillways
Type of dam Gravity
Impounds Chenab River
Height133 m (436 ft)
Reservoir
Total capacity78,710,000 m3
Active capacity23,860,000 m3 (19,340 acre⋅ft)
Inactive capacity54,850,000 m3
Maximum water depth109 m
Normal elevation1,029 m msl
Ratle Hydroelectric Plant
Coordinates 33°9′9.21″N75°45′05.68″E / 33.1525583°N 75.7515778°E / 33.1525583; 75.7515778
Type 4 x 205 MW, 1 x 30 MW Francis-type
Hydraulic head 100.39 m (329.4 ft)
Installed capacity 850 MW

The Ratle Hydroelectric Plant is a run-of-the-river hydroelectric power station, with permitted pondage under the Indus Water Treaty, currently under construction on the Chenab River, downstream of the village near Drabshalla in Kishtwar district of the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The project includes a 133 m (436 ft) tall gravity dam and two power stations adjacent to one another. Water from the dam will be diverted through four intake tunnels about 400 m (0.25 mi) southwest to the power stations. The main power station will contain four 205 MW Francis turbines and the auxiliary power station will contain one 30 MW Francis turbine. The installed capacity of both power stations will be 850 MW. [1] [2] On 25 June 2013, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone for the dam. Pakistan has frequently alleged that it violates the Indus Waters Treaty. [3] [4]

Contents

Project Status

Construction of the project was started in January 2022 by the EPC contractor "Megha Engineering Ltd" [5] The project is scheduled to commence operations in 2026. The 850MW facility is expected to generate up to 3,136 million units of electricity in a year. The Public Investment Board (PIB) of the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, recommended an investment approval of $690m (Rs52.82bn) for the project in September 2020.

IWT dispute

Pakistan raised objections citing violations of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) which are being parallelly undergoing arbitration by a Court of Arbitration (CoA) and a World Bank-appointed Neutral Expert. [6] The following are the disputes, mostly technical in nature, raised on the project. [7]

The CoA also indicated that the objections to the project were submitted by Pakistan after a period of three months not meeting the Annexure D (10) stipulation of IWT. [7] Annexure D (10) says that if no objection is received by India from Pakistan within the specified period of three months, then Pakistan shall be deemed to have no objection to the project. [8]

History

See also

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References

  1. "Ratle Hydro Electric Project: Project Design Document". UN Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). 8 July 2012. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  2. "Ratle H.E. Project" (PDF). Ministry of Power. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 April 2009.
  3. "WB pause gives India free rein to complete Ratle project". Archived from the original on 8 November 2020.
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  6. "Controversial Kishenganga and Ratle hydropower projects: WB to hand over projects' papers to arbiters, neutral experts on 21st" . Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  7. 1 2 "Award on the competence of the CoA (pages 3 and 28)" . Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  8. "Full text of 'Indus Water Treaty' with Annexures, World Bank" (PDF). 1960. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
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