Introduction

The CBI has conducted searches at 12 locations in Delhi and Rajasthan regarding alleged corruption in the award of civil works worth ₹2,200 crore related to the Kiru hydroelectric power project.

About Kiru Hydel Project

Location: Situated over the Chenab River near Patharnakki and Kiru villages in Kishtwar district, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
Capacity: A 624MW run-of-river project.
Developers: Chenab Valley Power Projects (CVPP), a joint venture of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC, 49%), Jammu & Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC, 49%), and Power Trading Corporation (PTC, 2%).
Beneficiary States: J&K, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Rajasthan, Union territories of Chandigarh & Delhi.
The Hydropower Plant consists of :

1. 135m-high concrete gravity dam near Kiru.
2. Catchment area of 10,225km², with a 6.5km-long and 1.03km² reservoir.
3. 700m-long horse-shoe shaped diversion tunnel with two openings to divert river flow for dam construction.

These systems harness energy from flowing water to generate electricity without the need for a large dam and reservoir, distinguishing them from conventional impoundment hydroelectric facilities.
Run-of-the-river projects utilize the natural flow of rivers, diverting a portion of the water through turbines to generate electricity.
This minimizes environmental impact compared to traditional dam projects.
They have lower ecological disruption, reduced flood risk, and faster project implementation compared to conventional hydroelectric dams.