Arteev Sharma
Jammu: The mega Green Energy Corridor (GEC) Phase-II project aimed at evacuating 13 GW of renewable energy from Ladakh to Haryana has run into rough weather due to geographical and technical challenges in its implementation, forcing the Centre to review the ambitious transmission project.
It followed the reports of Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) studies and Powergrid-the nodal agency for the project.
The project, officially titled the Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) for 13 GW Renewable Energy Project in Ladakh, is designed to establish two High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) terminals—one at Pang in Ladakh and another at Kaithal in Haryana—each with a transmission capacity of 5 GW, along with a 12 GWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).
The Standing Committee on Energy, in its 13th Report on Action Taken by the Government on the observations contained in the Twelfth Report (18th Lok Sabha) on Demands for Grants (2026-27) of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), sought an explanation from the Ministry over the review of the ambitious project and asked it to share the findings of the FEED studies.
Responding to the Committee, the Ministry informed that the entire project is under review based on the FEED study reports and technical inputs received from the Power Grid Corporation and the Central Transmission Utility of India Limited (CTUIL).
According to the Ministry, CTUIL, after completion of the FEED studies, found that Voltage Source Converter (VSC)-based HVDC technology is currently not feasible at Pang, located at an altitude of about 4,700 metres, because of extreme climatic and geographical conditions.
It said the site experiences temperatures as low as minus 35 degrees Celsius, besides high ultraviolet and cosmic radiation, making deployment of existing HVDC technology extremely challenging.
The Committee also noted that the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), responsible for aggregation and tendering of renewable power, had flagged concerns arising from the FEED study findings.
While acknowledging the difficulties associated with implementation of the project at Pang, the Committee expressed hope that the Ministry would take appropriate action based on the technical studies and keep Parliament informed about the future course of action.
The Ministry further informed that FEED studies carried out by Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) indicated that weak grid conditions at Pang, coupled with a high share of inverter-based renewable generation, would require substantial dynamic reactive power support to ensure stable operation of the HVDC system.
The studies recommended installation of around 18 synchronous condensers with a combined capacity of nearly 2,250 MVAr at Pang to strengthen grid stability and maintain voltage levels. The estimated cost of these synchronous condensers alone is around Rs 7,000 crore, with the proposal envisaging that the expenditure would be borne by renewable energy developers.
Pertinently, the inter-State transmission component of the Green Energy Corridor Phase-II project was reviewed during a meeting of the Northern Region Power Committee (NRPC) on September 8 last year, attended by representatives of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), CTUIL, GRID INDIA and State Transmission Utilities. The project has also faced setbacks in the bidding process.
The contract award, originally targeted for the second quarter of the 2025-26 financial year, was deferred to December 2025 after receiving a poor response from bidders. Only one Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor expressed interest in the Ladakh package, which involves deployment of VSC-based HVDC technology. Even the lone bidder reportedly raised concerns over the technical feasibility of executing the project at Pang due to its high-altitude terrain.
The Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL), the nodal agency for the project, is understood to be holding discussions with the sole Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to resolve the outstanding technical issues before any contract can be awarded.
The Ladakh HVDC project, with an estimated outlay of Rs 20,000 crore including Rs 12,000 crore for the terminal stations and the remaining for transmission infrastructure, consists of the construction of 713-km of transmission lines, comprising a 480 km ±350 kV HVDC stretch and two HVDC terminals — each at Pang (Ladakh) and Kaithal (Haryana).
The Standing Committee on Energy, in its ninth report on action taken by the government regarding the 2025–26 Demands for Grants of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), had also expressed concern over the lack of domestic participation in HVDC bidding.
Citing the project’s slow progress, the Committee said that even under Global Competitive Bidding (GCB), the January 21, 2025, retendering exercise failed to attract multiple bidders. The Ministry had confirmed at that time that the initial Domestic Competitive Bidding (DCB) process, launched on July 18, 2024, saw no bids despite nine deadline extensions, prompting a shift to GCB in December last year.
