In solar power potential, Ladakh comes second highest in the country but its villages are still in darkness—courtesy the failure of the Centre and the state government to undertake two prestigious ultra mega solar power projects, having a total generation capacity of 7,500 megawatt (MW).
The two mega projects were announced for Ladakh, considered the solar capital of the country, in 2014 but they have remained on paper only.
According to officials, at least 19 villages in Ladakh — 11 in Leh and 8 in Kargil — are still deprived of electricity. “The peak power demand of Ladakh is 200 MW. The demand is met by its current installed capacity of hydro and rooftop solar power and micro grids,” the officials said, adding that the execution of these projects have made the region prosperous.
The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, during the UPA-II rule, had conceived one of the largest solar energy projects in the world with a capacity of 5,000 MW in Ladakh in 2011. “In 2014, the Central government had signed an agreement with the J&K Government for about 7,500 MW of solar power — 5,000 MW in Leh and 2,500 MW in Kargil,” a source said.
The 5,000 MW project was planned in the Changthang area of Leh near the China border. Jigmet Takpa, project director, Ladakh Renewable Energy Development Agency (LREDA), said: “It (project) has not taken off at all. The LREDA and the LAHDC have not been consulted for the project so far. We had learnt that several meetings took place at the Centre and state government levels but we were never asked for the project. These projects are unlikely to be a reality in future due to the serious technical problem of evacuating the energy generated and connectivity to the Northern Grid through the under-construction Leh-Kargil-Srinagar transmission line”.
Takpa said there was no dearth of land in Ladakh but the transmission of generated power was a major issue. “There is no grid infrastructure to handle this capacity. The project of constructing a 220 kv line to connect Leh, Ladakh and Kargil and all these remote areas with the northern grid will not meet the purpose. For the transmission of electricity to be generated from these projects, we require at least 750 kv transmission line. It will take another five years to construct transmission line of this capacity,” he said.
Earlier, the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, which governs the district politically, had said it would not allow the Centre to forcibly acquire land from the people until it makes it clear how the project would benefit the local populace.
The state (primarily Ladakh) has solar p wer potential of 111.05 gigawatt (GW), which is second highest in the country after Rajasthan with solar potential of 142 GW.
Poor transmission facility
J&K, primarily Ladakh, has solar potential of 111.05 gigawatts (GW), which is the second highest in the country after Rajasthan with solar potential of 142 GW
Power transmission availability, however, remains a major problem in the state. Ladakh hasn’t got the transmission line to transfer power to the northern grid
The under-construction 220 KV transmission line connecting Leh, Ladakh and Kargil and all the remote areas with the northern grid will not have sufficient capacity to transmit the energy generated from the proposed mega solar projects
Uncertainty looms over solar power projects in Ladakh
