Govt plans ₹11,000 crore power transmission project in Ladakh

Feb. 18, 2020

The government plans to set up a 900-km power transmission link that will help large solar and wind energy projects in Ladakh supply electricity across the country, said Anand Kumar, secretary in the Union ministry of new and renewable energy.

The move is part of India’s strategy to develop the Union territory of Ladakh. The ₹11,000-crore marque project seeks to resolve grid connectivity problems faced by the region. This is also expected to attract investments for setting up green energy projects in the cold desert region.

The power link will initially transfer around 2,500 megawatts (MW) and will be developed in the third phase of the green energy corridors to help tap Ladakh’s solar energy potential of 40 gigawatts (GW).

The strategic project assumes significance as it will help supply power to the people of Leh and Kargil districts, besides defence establishments, during harsh winters and also help transmit surplus power to the rest of the country in summers. However, its construction will be a logistical challenge, considering the region remains snow covered for nearly six months with very low temperature and oxygen levels.