JK govt to harness 111 GW solar power in Ladakh

The Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir also known as cold desert has a vast potential to produce 111 Giga Watts (GWS) of solar power and the state government is planning to harness it, a senior official said here today.
"The Ladakh region has a potential of 111 GW of solar power and the Governor NN Vohra, has called for urgently removing all existing impediments in effectively harnessing the solar power potential in the State," a Raj Bhawan spokesman said.
He said that the Governor has directed the Chief Secretary Iabal Khanday to hold an urgent meeting to review, with all the stakeholders, and resolve all existing hurdles.

"The State of J&K, with its huge tracts of barren lands in Ladakh, has the potential to produce 111 GW of solar power. Government of India and J&K government have signed an MOU for the development of two mega solar power projects in the Ladakh region of the State (2500 MW in Kargil and 5000 MW in Leh)," he said.
He said that most of the energy generated in these solar parks would be given to the Northern Grid through the presently under construction Leh- Srinagar transmission line.
He said that the State Government has already issued Solar and Hydel Power policies for creating an attractive environment for the evacuation, purchase, wheeling and banking of electrical energy generated from Renewable Energy.

He said the State Government has devised an incentive package for private power producers including permission to private players to set up solar, hydel, wind and thermal projects of any size in the State,
"The benefits extended would also include, tax holiday for power generation and distribution companies, easy availability of cheap loans, reduction of custom duty for the import of equipments, a favourable debt equity ratio and making competitive bidding mandatory" he said.