From correspondents in Himachal Pradesh, India, 09:02 PM IST

Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam, a state-owned power utility in Himachal Pradesh, has shut down the 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri power project in Kinnaur district after the level of silt in the Satluj river rose suddenly.

The closure has affected the supply of electricity to other states in north India, including Delhi.

The silt content in the river increased more than the permissible limit of 7,500 parts per million (ppm), forcing the authorities to suspend power generation, said project head N.C. Bansal.

'The silt content has crossed 7,500 ppm, forcing us to suspend power generation in all the six units of 250 MW each,' Bansal told IANS Thursday.

He said the sudden inflow of the silt was due to heavy rainfall in the catchment of the river.

This is the first time the plant had to be shut down this season.

The Nathpa-Jhakri project generates about 38 million units daily, which is supplied to Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)