Uttarakhand is renowned for its scenic beauty and rivers. India's two major rivers viz. Ganga and Yamuna start their journey from here. Besides these two rivers, Uttarakhand has a large network of rivers and canal which provides an immense scope for hydropower energy. One of the first hydro-power station in India was commissioned at Galogi in 1907. More power stations were subsequently developed over a period of time.Uttarakhand has a very high hydroelectric power potential which is yet to be developed.

12th February, 2001 - A new dawn in the Power Sector of Uttarakhand when Uttaranchal Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited came into existence, with some promises to keep with the home state, to emerge as a Power Major and to make the state, so called "Urja Pradesh".

Consequent upon the change of name of the State from Uttaranchal to Uttarakhand, the company was renamed to Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited on 02.07.2007.

On 04.04.2011 the company was again renamed to UJVN Ltd.as it diversified its operations "to establish takeover, operate and maintain power generating stations harnessing the conventional, non-conventional, nuclear and other sources of energy by what so ever name called that include sub-stations, transmission lines, other ancillaries and activities that are essential for generation, transmission, distribution and trading of power".

UJVN Ltd. is a wholly owned Corporation of the Government of Uttarakhand. Today, UJVN Ltd. operates hydropower plants ranging in capacity from 1.5 MW to 304 MW, totaling to 1420.60 MW. UJVN Ltd. is committed to develop new power stations in an early and efficient manner for economic well-being and growth of the State and its people.

For the fulfillment of the Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) requirement of solar for the Uttarakhand state as stated in Hon'ble Uttarakhand Electricity Regulatory Commission (Renewable Purchase Obligation, its compliance & implementation of REC framework), Regulations 2010, UJVN limited has taken several initiatives. UJVNLimited has commissioned solar PV based power plants across its different offices/ Project areas totaling an installed capacity of 26.540 MW. UJVN Ltd. is currently exploring the feasibility of setting up additional solar PV based power plants in its offices/ Project areas across Uttarakhand.

UJVN Ltd. is also exploring the promotion of Bagasse based co-generation in sugar mills. In this connection, UJVN Ltd. is in the process of setting up co-generation plants at Nadehi (installed capacity - 16 MW) and Bazpur (installed capacity - 22 MW).

The history of Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited can be traced back to erstwhile U.P. State Electricity Board (In short UPSEB). The erstwhile U.P. State Electricity Board was trifurcated pursuant to enactment of U.P. Electricity Reforms Act, 1999. U.P. State Electricity Reforms Transfer Scheme, 2000 was promulgated for execution of the trifurcation of erstwhile UPSEB into U.P. Power Corporation Ltd. (In short UPPCL), U.P. Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd. (In short UPJVNL) and U.P. Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Ltd.. By operation of the aforesaid Scheme all the Hydro Electric Projects earlier owned and operated by UPSEB were transferred to UPJVNL (a Govt. Company existing prior to the said trifurcation) in addition to other projects owned and operated by the UPJVNL previously.

That UPJVNL was erstwhile known and setup as UP Alparthak Evam Laghu Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited, a Government Company which was incorporated in 1985 to own establish and operate small, mini and micro hydel projects. Later on the name of the company was changed to UP Laghu Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited and ultimately to UP Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited in 1996.

The State of U.P. was bifurcated by enforcement of U.P. Reorganization Act, 2000 (In short Reorganization Act) as a result thereof the State of Uttarakhand came into existence. The Govt. of India issued an order dated 05-11-01 u/s 63(4)(a) of the Reorganization Act whereby assets and liabilities between UPJVNL and UJVNL were divided. By operation of this order all the Hydro Power Assets of UPJVNL located in the State of Uttarakhand were transferred to UJVNL. Since then UJVNL is operating all these hydro power plants.