<h1>Energy company must pay 18% royalty instead of 12% for hydroelectric project after agreement period ends</h1> The Supreme Court ruled in favor of a state government, requiring an energy company to increase royalty payments from 12 percent to 18 percent for a 1,045 MW hydroelectric project on the Sutlej River. The decision overturned a high court ruling that had allowed the company to continue paying the lower rate. Under the original 1999 agreement, the project was to pay 12 percent royalty for the first 12 years, then 18 percent for the remaining 28 years. After the project began operations in 2011, the company paid 12 percent for 12 years but refused the increased rate from 2023. The ruling will generate approximately 150 crore rupees in additional annual revenue for the state and potentially affect other projects, with total expected income exceeding 250 crore rupees yearly.