120-Year-Old, Defunct Since 1990s: J&K Government Moves To Revive Mohra Power Project

Last Updated:April 03, 2026, 2:18 PM IST

Commissioned in 1905, it is one of the oldest hydropower stations not only in Jammu and Kashmir but in the entire Indian subcontinent.

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. (File photo)

The Jammu and Kashmir government has announced plans to revive the historic Mohra Power Project, a 120-year-old hydroelectric plant that has remained defunct since the 1990s. The move is part of accelerated efforts on power projects following the Government of India’s decision to place the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan in abeyance after the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025.

The Mohra Power Project is a small-scale run-of-the-river hydroelectric plant located on the banks of the Jhelum River at Boniyar in the Uri sector of Baramulla district. Commissioned in 1905, it is one of the oldest hydropower stations not only in Jammu and Kashmir but in the entire Indian subcontinent. The project originally had a capacity of around 5 MW and once supplied electricity to parts of the Kashmir Valley before flood damage in 1992 severely affected its operations, eventually leading to its shutdown.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also holds charge of the Power Department, informed the J&K Assembly on Wednesday that the revival process is now underway. The Board of Directors of the J&K State Power Development Corporation has approved the floating of a Limited Tender Enquiry (LTE) for engaging a transaction adviser from firms empanelled with the Department of Economic Affairs.

The selected adviser will assist in the renovation, modernisation, upgradation, operation and maintenance of the project, which has an envisaged capacity of 10.5 MW. This step marks a significant move towards restoring the heritage asset while contributing to J&K’s goal of enhancing hydropower generation.

The revival of Mohra comes amid the J&K government’s push to fast-track multiple hydel projects in the region, aiming to substantially increase installed power capacity in the coming years. This is expected to not only boost local energy but also preserve a key piece of the region’s engineering heritage.

For decades, Mohra served as the primary source of electricity for Srinagar and parts of the Kashmir Valley. It was the only hydropower station supplying power to the region until the mid-1950s. The project initially operated at 25 cycles per second and represented a pioneering effort in harnessing the Jhelum River for both power and irrigation in undivided Jammu and Kashmir.

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