This financial year has begun on a promising note for the authorities of the Nathpa Jhakri hydroelectric project with generation surpassing the target for April. There had been a sharp decline in production during 2012-13. The project owned and operated by the Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam (SJVN) has generated 449 million units in April against a target of 410 million units. It was after a gap of more than a year that the project exceeded the monthly target thanks to favourable weather conditions which brought abundant snow in the mid-hills during winter leading to an early upsurge in the Sutlej. With the mercury rising after a prolonged winter, snow has started melting fast which is evident from the increase in discharge which has touched 212 cumecs by the end of April compared to 137 cumecs during the same period last year. The generation plunged from 7,610 million units in 2011-12 to 6,777 million units last fiscal due to unfavourable weather conditions marked by inadequate snow during winter and delayed monsoon arrival. The downslide in generation forced the Union Ministry of Power to reduce the generation target for current fiscal from 7,000 million units to 6,875 million units. The generation fell below 7,000 million units for the first time in five years. The 1,500-MW project generated 7,140 million units in 2010-11 and 7,018 million units in 2009-10. The revenue from the project which increased from Rs 1,260 crore in 2008-09 to Rs 1,927.5 crore in 2011-12 was set to decline by over Rs 220 crore in 2012-13. While favourable weather conditions have raised hopes of good generation this year the SJVN will gain from the 412-MW Rampur project and the 47.6 MW wind power project at Khirveri in Maharashtra. The latter is slated for commission in the second half of this year. The Rampur project will annually generate 1,770 million units and the wind power plant 85.65 million units. The installed generation capacity of the SJVN will increase to 1,960 MW with a designed energy of 8,805 million units. The state has 30 per cent equity in the Rampur project. Its share will increase by about 680 MW. Nathpa Jhakri Power project Sharp decline in production during 2012-13 Generation surpasses target for April 2013 Project exceeds target after more than year Favourable conditions brought ample snow