New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved on Wednesday the setting up of Ladakh-Kaithal power transmission line worth Rs 20,773.70 crore on the Green Energy Corridor (GEC) under phase-II, Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS), for evacuating power from 13 GW Renewable Energy (RE) project in Ladakh. The project is targeted to be set up by FY 2029-30 with total estimated cost of Rs 20,773.70 crore, out of which Central Financial Assistance (CFA) will account for 40 percent of the project cost — Rs 8,309.48 crore.
“Keeping in view the complex terrain, adverse climatic conditions and defence sensitivities of the Ladakh region, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) will be the Implementing Agency for this project. State-of-the-art Voltage Source Converter (VSC) based High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) system and Extra High Voltage Alternating Current (EHVAC) systems will be deployed,” said the government in an official statement.
The transmission line for evacuating this power will pass through Himachal Pradesh and Punjab up to Kaithal in Haryana, where it will be integrated with the national grid. An interconnection is also planned from this project in Leh to the existing Ladakh grid so as to ensure reliable power supply to Ladakh. It will also be connected to Leh-Alusteng-Srinagar line to provide power to Jammu & Kashmir. The project will entail setting up of 713 km transmission lines (including 480 km HVDC line) and 5 GW capacity of HVDC terminal each at Pang (Ladakh) and Kaithal (Haryana).
“The project will contribute to achieving the target of 500 GW of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuels by the year 2030. The project will also help in developing long-term energy security of the country and promote ecologically sustainable growth by reducing carbon footprint. It will generate large direct and indirect employment opportunities for both skilled and unskilled personnel in power and other related sectors, especially in the Ladakh region,” said the statement.
Other projects under the Intra-State Transmission System Green Energy Corridor Phase-II (InSTS GEC-II) are already under implementation in the states of Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh for grid integration and power evacuation of approximately 20 GW of RE power. It is expected to be completed by 2026. The InSTS GEC-II scheme targets the addition of 10,753 ckm of transmission lines and 27,546 MVA capacity of substations having an estimated project cost of Rs 12,031.33 crore and CFA @33 percent, ie Rs 3,970.34 crore.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his Independence Day speech in 2020, announced the setting up of 7.5 GW solar park in Ladakh. After an extensive field survey, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) prepared a plan to set up 13 GW Renewable Energy (RE) generation capacity along with 12 GWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Pang, Ladakh.
