Ministry of New and Renewable Energy will send its team within a week to help the administration of Ladakh sort out issues, mainly related to land, in the implementation of the 10-gigawatt (GW) renewable energy project there. The decision was taken in a high-level meeting chaired by Union Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister RK Singh.
“Union Minister for Power and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, RK Singh, reviewed the implementation of 10-GW renewable energy project along with its evacuation plan yesterday (Monday) here,” the power ministry said in a statement.
Ladakh Lieutenant Governor R K Mathur and Minister of State for Power Krishan Pal Gurjar attended the meeting. Secretary (Power), secretary (MNRE) and representatives of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), PowerGrid, Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), and Border Roads Organisation were also present in the meeting.
Recollecting the announcement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to set up 7.5 GW of solar park in Ladakh (subsequently enhanced to 10 GW), the power minister sought the support of Ladakh’s lieutenant governor to sort out the land issues in setting up of 10 GW of a renewable energy project in the Union Territory at identified areas of Pang.
Ladakh administration assured to extend its support for providing land to set up 10 GW of RE project.
The required transmission system, along with the battery energy storage system, for providing round-the-clock power was also reviewed.
Informing about the outcome of the meeting, the ministry stated, “MNRE (Ministry of New and Renewable Energy) will send a team to Ladakh within a week to thrash out issues with the support of the UT administration.”
It is decided that 20,000 acres of land at Pang will be provided immediately by the UT of Ladakh for setting up of a renewable energy park, while the availability of other 20,000 acres of land at Pang will be explored based on the inputs provided by SECI.
Ladakh will receive revenue per annum on account of leasing of the land allocated for the setting up of the renewable energy project.
CPSEs under the power ministry will undertake corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities for the development of the region.
The 5-GW transmission link from Pang (Leh)-Kaithal (Haryana), along with 12 gigawatt-hour (GWh) of battery energy storage, will provide 76% utilisation of transmission capacity.
It will evacuate 13 GW of renewable energy generation (9 GWp solar and 4 GW wind). Out of the 12 GWh battery energy storage, about 1- 2 GWh will be developed as part of the transmission element to keep the line charged during the period of no generation, while the remaining battery energy storage could be developed as part of the generation element.
PowerGrid will revise their DPR (detailed project report) to set up a 5-GW transmission link, including two GWh of battery energy storage and AC system strengthening in Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir, to provide RE within Ladakh and also to Jammu & Kashmir.
MNRE will move a proposal for providing a central grant for the development of the above transmission link as part of the Green Energy Corridor.
Transmission link should be completed within five years. Concluding the meeting, Singh reiterated the support of the Government of India for the development of Ladakh.
