Power shortage persists in Ganderbal despite presence of seven power projects
Ganderbal, Dec 10, KNT: Despite hosting three major powerhouses and four mini-power projects, Ganderbal district in central Kashmir continues to face severe electricity shortages, leaving residents grappling with frequent power cuts and inconsistent supply.
The district is home to the 16 MW Ganderbal Power House (established in 1955), the 22.5 MW Upper Sindh Hydro Power House Sambalgund (built in 1971), and the 105 MW Ji Sahib Power House in Kangan (commissioned in 2002). “These projects were intended to ensure a stable power supply to Ganderbal, but the reality paints a different picture,” locals from Kangan told the news agency Kashmir News Trust.
Adding to this infrastructure are four privately constructed mini-power projects in the Kangan sub-district, located in Royal, Mir Mohalla, Kalan Lashpattri, and Sonamarg, collectively generating 25 MW of electricity. Despite these combined resources, the district continues to experience a crippling power deficit, much disappointing to the local population.
The data reveals that the Ji Sahib Kangan Power House, designed to generate 105 MW, is supplying only 10 MW. Similarly, the Upper Sindh Power House Sambalgund is contributing just 6 MW, and the Ganderbal Power House is providing a mere 2-3 MW of electricity.
The shortage has frustrated the inhabitants of the district, who question why a district with such substantial power-generating capacity remains plagued by outages. Consumers reported prolonged power cuts, affecting daily life and economic activities.
Locals appealed to the authorities to address the issue of power outages and ensure the district benefits from its substantial power generation capabilities. [KNT]
