Shimla: Nathpa Jhakri hydropower project was closed down today after increase in silt level in the Sutlej river.

Vijay Verma, deputy general manager of SJVNL said the silt content in the river increased more than permissible limit of 7,500 ppm (part per million) due to rainfall in the region forcing to temporarily shut down the power generation activity.

This is the second closure of the plant. Earlier, the plant was closed for a day on June 24.

The shutdown has led to power shortage in the northern regi on.

The power project daily generates 38 million units of electricity which is supplied to Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

  jhakri, nathpa, sjvnl