Nearly 3-5% annual fall over five years rings alarm bells
Srinagar, Apr 28: From 17,489 Million Units (MUs) in 2020-21 to just 14,660 MUs in 2025-26, Jammu and Kashmir in nearly past five years has recorded a decline in hydel power generation by over 16 percent—reflecting an average annual fall of nearly 3-5 percent.
The official figures available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) revealing the power generation of J&K in MUs from 2020-21 to January 2026 states that there has been a power generation fall by 16.18 percent.
The figures reveal that in the year 2020-21, J&K had generated a total of 17,489.83 MUs of power followed by 17,170.62 MUs in the year 2022-23.
It also said that during the year 2023-24, Jammu and Kashmir was able to generate only 16,282.93 MUs of energy followed by 15,595.82 MUs in 2024-25.
The figures further states that in the year 2025-2026: upto January-2026, J&K had generated only 14,659.92 MUs of power.
Stating the source and state wise generation data from various sources including thermal, hydro, nuclear and renewable energy for 2025-26 (upto January, 2026), the official figures reveal that a total of 14,659.92 MUs from renewable sources were generated by J&K including
375.01 MUs by the small hydro projects and 14,284.91 MUs from large hydro projects.
As already reported by KNO, Jammu and Kashmir has indicated that a power load requirement of up to 7 Gigawatts (GWs) by the coming five years needs to be considered in the winter season—signalling major infrastructure upgrades to avoid seasonal blackouts.
The officials have conservatively trimmed the load requirement to 5 GW by the financial year 2029-30.
As per the documents, the statutory body Northern Regional Power Committee (NRPC) in a joint study meeting has said that “J&K indicated that a load of 6-7GW needs to be considered in the winter season by 2029-30.”
“However, on conservative side load is considered to the tune of 5 GW,” it reads.
Stating the details of Northern Region states load considered in Power System Simulator for Engineering (PSSE) for 2029-2030, the committee has projected 4211 Megawatts (MWs) of Emergency Power Supply (EPS) load in J&K by 2029-2030 timeframe.
Pertinently, the news agency has reported that Jammu and Kashmir was importing more than 95 percent of its electricity in the month of December.
The officials earlier in the month had informed that Jammu and Kashmir is importing electricity ranging from 2900 MWs to 3100 MWs during the peak hours.
It also said that during the other hours, the region is importing electricity ranging from 2400 MWs to 2800 MWs.
Earlier KNO had reported that Jammu and Kashmir is likely to face a four percent Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) increase in electricity requirement and six percent increase in peak electricity demand for the period of 2025-26 to 2035-36. (KNO)
