Assessment of Hydropower Potential in the Upper Sutlej River Basin

Abstract

India is rapidly progressing towards hydropower development, particularly in the newlineHimalayan region, where the potential for harnessing river systems is immense. The newlineHimalayan rivers, including the Upper Sutlej River Basin (USRB), are essential for newlinehydropower generation, yet remain largely untapped. Currently, only about 38.40% of the newlinepotential hydropower capacity in the Himalayan region has been harnessed, with 86.60% newlinestill undeveloped. Within the Upper Sutlej River Basin, the potential capacity is evaluated newlineat 10,268.5 MW, but only 3,267.5 MW is currently utilized. This highlights the urgent newlineneed for identifying new sites to sustainably manage water resources and enhance newlinehydropower generation in the region newline