Supreme Court orders Punjab, Haryana to supply Himachal with 11,973 million units over 20 years

Supreme Court has ordered Punjab and Haryana to supply Himachal Pradesh with 11,973 million units of electricity over the next 20 years, ending a dispute that began in 1966 over Bhakra Nangal and Beas hydro projects. The court said the deal follows the 2011 apex‑court verdict that fixed Himachal’s share at 7.19% of power generated by the projects. Under the settlement, Punjab and Haryana will meet the obligation in energy terms rather than cash. An adjustment of ₹420 crore for historical capital costs of the dams is built into the agreement, so Himachal will not receive any monetary payment. The Central Electricity Authority had originally calculated Himachal’s entitlement at 13,066 million units. The 2011 decision allocated 51.80% of the power to Punjab, 37.51% to Haryana, 7.19% to Himachal, 3.50% to Chandigarh and left Rajasthan’s share unchanged. Punjab first rejected the Centre’s proposal for a 15‑year payment schedule, later asked for a 30‑year plan, while Himachal sought a 10‑year timeline. The bench that delivered the order comprised Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana. The ruling also confirms Himachal’s entitlement from the Bhakra project since 1 November 1966, the Dehar project from November 1977 and the Pong Dam from January 1978. ## Context The Bhakra Nangal and Beas schemes are large inter‑state hydro‑electric systems built in the 1960s, and disputes over power sharing among northern states have often required judicial intervention to allocate dues.