Centre approves Rs 2,614-cr investment for Sunni Dam hydro power project

The government on Wednesday approved Rs 2,614.51 crore investment for the 382 MW Sunni Dam Hydro Electric Project by state-owned SJVN Ltd in Himachal Pradesh.

"The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the investment for 382 MW Sunni Dam Hydro Electric Project in Himachal Pradesh by SJVN Ltd, for an estimated cost of Rs 2,614.51 crore, including Rs 13.80 crore as budgetary support from Government of India for the cost of enabling infrastructure," an official statement said.

Ex-post facto approval is given for cumulative expenditure incurred amounting to Rs 246 crore till January 2022, it added.

?The project cost of Rs 2,614 crore included hard cost amounting to Rs 2,246.40 crore, Interest During Construction (IDC) and Financing Charges (FC) of Rs 358.96 crore and 9.15 crore, respectively, the statement said.

The revised cost sanctions for cost variations due to quantity changes (including additions/ alterations/ extra items) and time overruns due to the developer shall be capped at 10 per cent of the sanctioned cost, it added.

Keeping in view the aims and objectives of Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, the present proposal for setting up 382 MW Sunni Dam HEP by SJVN shall provide various benefits to local suppliers/ local enterprises/ MSMEs and shall encourage entrepreneurship opportunities within the country besides promoting employment and socio-economic development of the region, it stated.

The implementation of the project shall generate direct and indirect employment for about 4,000 persons during the peak construction of the project, as per the statement.