J&K braces for 7 GW winter load by 2030

Srinagar, Apr 21: In a stark warning, 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—signaling major infrastructure upgrades to avoid seasonal blackouts.
However, the officials have conservatively trimmed the load requirement to 5 GW by the financial year 2029-30.
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.
However, the load considered in the revised PSSE file is 5000 MWs.
As already reported, 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.
The official however had clarified that the power import includes all the sources including the power allocated from the center and other Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).
Earlier the news agency 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.
The official documents in this regard reveal that it has considered electrical energy requirement projections as per J&K State Load Dispatch Center (SLDC).
The documents further reveal that the SLDC has projected that the annual electrical energy requirement of the UT is likely to grow at a CAGR of 4 percent while the peak electricity demand for the utility is likely to grow at a CAGR of 6 percent for the period of 2025-26 to 2035-36. (KNO)