Himachal Pradesh government is yet undecided on allotment of mega Jangi- Thopan hydroelectric project on Satluj river in Kinnaur district even 12 years after it has been in the thick of controversy.

Official sources said while the cabinet was about to take the call on the project a couple of months ago ~ after Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) Ltd, a Shimla-based Central public sector undertaking (PSU) in joint venture with HP government, showed keenness to execute the project ~ the MPP and state Power minister reportedly put the decision on hold for review.

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“I withdrew the matter from cabinet and have asked the Director Energy to look into the representation of SJVN and weigh other options also. If we give it to SJVN, we will get 12 per cent free power and the benefit of 25 per cent equity share. But then it requires an investment by the government. More so, we want to look into the status of SJVN and its performance in other hydro projects. The SJVN has not been able to move on in Luhri project for eight years,” MPP and Power minister, Anil Sharma told The Statesman.

He said compared with this, if the state run Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd. is considered to execute the project, the state government can get funds from centre in 90:10 pattern, and hundred per cent returns will come to the state only. “We can also consider going in for global tender for competitive bidding,” Sharma said.

SJVN Chairman cum Managing Director, Nand Lal Sharma said he would take up the issue with the government again. “The SJVN will execute the project through MoU route,” he said.

The SJVN has so far commissioned the first biggest hydro project of the country, 1500 MW Nathpa Jhakri power project on Satluj River, 412 MW Rampur hydro electric project and is an executing over 700 MW Luhri hydroelectric project in three stages.

The SJVN has ventured in power sector in other states of India, and in Nepal and Bhutan in a big way and the government has been getting good dividends from SJVN so far.

The 960 MW Jangi-Thopan hydro electric project (two projects of Jangi-Thopan and Thopan–Powari of 480 MW each, which were later clubbed into one project with reduced capacity) was tipped to one of the most viable projects in HP.

It was allotted to Netherlands based Brakel Corporation in 2006. The government had later cancelled the allotment in 2009, as the company delayed the execution of the project. The government had also decided to forfeit the amount deposited by Brakel as premium along with interest (Rs 280 crore).

The whole issue, however, got entangled in court later on different accounts.

The previous Congress government had kicked up row again by proposing to refund Rs 280 crore amount to a company, which claimed to have paid the premium to Brakel in 2006 after allotment of project in lieu of getting partner status. The move, however, fell through due to stiff opposition in the cabinet.