Nathpa Jhakri Dam

The Nathpa Jhakri Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Sutlej river in Rampur Bushahr, Shimla district, Himachal Pradesh, India. The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power production and it supplies a 1,500 megawatts (2,000,000 hp) underground power station with water. Before reaching the power station, water is diverted through a 27.4 km (17 mi) headrace tunnel. Construction on the project began in 1993 and it was complete in 2004. The last two of the 250 megawatts (340,000 hp) Francis turbine-generators went online in March 2004. It is owned by SJVN.^[3]

Nathpa Jhakri Dam
Nathpa Jhakri Dam front side
Nathpa Jhakri Dam Location of Nathpa Jhakri Dam in India Show map of India Nathpa Jhakri Dam Nathpa Jhakri Dam (Himachal Pradesh) Show map of Himachal Pradesh
Location	Rampur Bushahr, Shimla district, Himachal Pradesh India
Coordinates	31°33′50″N 77°58′49″E
Construction began	1993
Opening date	May 2004
Construction cost	₹8187 crores[1]
Owner	SJVN
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Concrete gravity
Impounds	Satluj River
Height	67.5 m (221 ft)
Length	185 m (607 ft)
Dam volume	200,000 m3 (261,590 cu yd)
Spillway capacity	5,660 m3/s (199,881 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
Total capacity	3,430,000 m3 (2,781 acre⋅ft)
Active capacity	3,030,000 m3 (2,456 acre⋅ft)
Surface area	234.5 m (769 ft)[2]
Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station
Coordinates	31°29′52.5″N 77°42′33″E
Operator	SJVN
Commission date	May 2004
Hydraulic head	428 m (1,404 ft)
Turbines	6 × 250 MW Francis-type
Installed capacity	1,500 MW
Website sjvn.nic.in/businessprojectdetails/28/5/7

Scheduling and generation despatch

The scheduling and despatch^{[clarification needed]} of the Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power plant is done by Northern Regional Load Despatch Centre which is the apex body to ensure the integrated operation of the power system grid in the Northern region and comes under Power System Operation Corporation Limited (POSOCO).

Nathpa Jhakri Hydroelectric Plant supplies power to several northern Indian states and union territories apart from Himachal Pradesh in Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.^[1]

On 6 September 2025, after extreme levels of rainfall a massive landslide near the dam blocked the National Highway-5 nearby and caused concern for the dam.^[4]

Sponsors and investors

• Sponsor Nathpa Jhakri Power Corporation
• Kvaerner / ABB / Siemens / Sulzer Escher Wyss
• Foundation Continental Construction Corporation
• BHEL
• Jaiprakash Associates Limited

See also

• Water portal
• Renewable energy portal

• Karcham Wangtoo Hydroelectric Plant – situated upstream
• List of dams and reservoirs in India