Ratle Hydro Electric Project

About Ratle Hydro Electric Project:

• It is an 850 MW run-of-river hydroelectric power project being built on the Chenab River in the Kishtwar District of Jammu and Kashmir.
• The project is being developed by Ratle Hydroelectric Power Corporation (RHPCL), which was formed as a joint venture (JV) between Jammu & Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) and India’s state-owned National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).
• The project comprises a 133-metre-tall and 194.8-meter-long concrete gravity dam, a diversion dam, and an underground powerhouse on the right bank of the river.

Key Facts about Chenab River:

• It is a major river of India and Pakistan.
• Origin: It is formed by the confluence of two streams, Chandra and Bhaga, at Tandi in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul and Spiti Districts of Himachal Pradesh.
• In its upper reaches, it is also known as the Chandrabhaga.
• It is a tributary of the Indus River.
• Course:
  • It flows west through Jammu and Kashmir union territory, between the steep cliffs of the Siwalik Range (south) and the Lesser Himalayas (north).
  • Turning southwest, it continues into Pakistan, descending from the uplands into the broad alluvial lowlands of Punjab province. 
  • After receiving the Jhelum River near Trimmu, the Chenab empties into the Sutlej River, a tributary of the Indus River.
• Its total length is about 605 miles (974 km), and it feeds several irrigation canals. 
• Tributaries: The tributaries of the Chenab River include Miyar Nalla, Sohal, Thirot, Bhut Nalla, Marusudar, and Lidrari.