Proposed in 2013, shelved in 2016, world’s largest solar plant in Ladakh still an option

CEA to study possible underground cables, airlifting of towers

JAMMU: Racing against time to fulfil its 175 Giga Watt (GW) clean energy commitment in next four years, the Centre has once again brought the Ladakh option under consideration.

Ladakh has an estimated solar power potential of 35,000 Mega Watts. If fully exploited, this could meet 20 percent of clean energy target set up the Centre for next four years but transmission and distribution remains a big challenge. Under its various international renewable energy commitments for 2030, the Centre has set a target of adding 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022.

The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) had planned to set up 5,000 Mega Watt (MW) solar power project in Leh and 2,500 MW project in Kargil in 2013. However, in 2016 the Centre had dropped the plan to set up the world's biggest solar power project in Leh owing to the huge transmission system cost. The Leh administration had also identified the land for the project. But owing to the huge costs on the transmission system, the government decided to drop the project.

In a latest development, the Ladakh option has been brought under discussion as the Centre explores new possibilities of setting up transmission of network which could be cost effective and viable in the longer run.

The Central Electricity Authority is believed to be closely working with stakeholders in building a cost-effective power evacuation infrastructure in Ladakh. "We need to build a cost-effective evacuation transmission network before the solar projects are awarded there," CEA chairman Pankaj Batra has been quoted as saying.

The transmission network could be executed by a combination of underground cables and towers installed by airlifting. The Jammu and Kashmir government, it may be mentioned here, has already signed an MoU with the Centre for development of two mega solar parks with a total capacity of 7,500 MW in the Ladakh region.

The solar power project in Ladakh is a part of a current study being undertaken by the Central Electricity Authority to ascertain the cheapest power mix in the country in 2030. The CEAS is working on what should be the 'Ideal System Cost' in 2030 and a report is expected in a month's time. The report will try to find out the cheapest power mix with grid stability in 2030, and would give a direction to the power sector developers. The outcome of the study will also act as components to the regulators in determining power tariffs.

According to estimates by the Ministry of Power, the share of renewable energy in India's electricity mix is set to increase to around 55 per cent by 2030.

At present, renewables account for nearly 20 per cent of the total installed capacity.

India has committed to produce about 40 per cent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030. It has also set a target of adding 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022.