Shimla, Dec 27 (IANS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday performed the ground-breaking ceremony for 210 MW Luhri (Stage I) and 66 MW Dhaulasidh hydropower projects of Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd (SJVNL).

Governor Bandaru Dattatraya and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur were also present at the ceremony.

The state government organized the ceremony here as part of Rising Himachal Global Summit for fast-tracking the implementation of memorandums of understanding worth Rs 10,000 crore signed at the summit.

State-run SJVNL Chairman and Managing Director Nand Lal Sharma said the projects would contribute significantly towards the overall growth of the state.

The 210 MW Luhri (Stage-I) is located on the Satluj river in Kullu and Shimla districts, while 66 MW Dhaulasidh is located on Beas river in Hamirpur and Kangra districts.

On completion, the Luhri project will generate 758 million units of electricity annually, while the Dhaulasidh will have the potential to generate 247 million units annually.

The construction of the projects will bring in an investment of around Rs 2,400 crore and will generate employment for nearly 3,500 persons, he said.

Sharma said that during Rising Himachal Global Summit, the SJVN signed pacts for eight hydro projects.

These projects are located in the Satluj, Beas and Chenab river basins in Himachal Pradesh.

The development of these projects will usher in an investment of Rs 24,000 crore. SJVNL has also forayed into renewable energy, power transmission and thermal.

The company is marching forward for achieving installed capacity of 5,000 MW by 2023 and 12,000 MW by 2030.

SJVNL is a joint venture between the central and the Himachal Pradesh governments.