The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, on Wednesday, approved the project on Green Energy Corridor (GEC) Phase-II of the Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) for 13 GW Renewable Energy Project in Ladakh.
The committee is chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The project is targeted to be set up by FY 2029-30 with a total estimated cost of Rs.20,773.70 crore and Central Financial Assistance (CFA) 40 per cent of the project cost i.e., 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 (POWERGRID) will be the Implementing Agency for this project.
In this, Voltage Source Converter (VSC) based High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) system and Extra High Voltage Alternating Current (EHVAC) systems will be deployed.
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 a reliable power supply to Ladakh.
It will also be connected to the Leh-Alusteng-Srinagar line to provide power to Jammu and Kashmir. The project will entail setting up 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 develop the country’s long-term energy security 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.
During his Independence Day Speech on 15.08.2020, the Prime Minister 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. To evacuate this huge quantum of power, creating an inter-state transmission infrastructure will be necessary.
This project is in addition to Intra-State Transmission System Green Energy Corridor Phase-II (InSTS GEC-II), which is already under implementation in the States of Gujarat, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh for grid integration and power evacuation of approx.
20 GW of RE power and is expected to be completed by 2026. The InSTS GEC-II scheme aims to add 10,753 kilometres of transmission lines and 27,546 MVA capacity to substations. The project’s estimated cost is Rs. 12,031.33 crore, with a 33 per cent CFA, totalling Rs. 3,970.34 crore.
