Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), under the renewable energy ministry, is promoting 5,000 MW (mega watt) and 2,500 MW solar power projects in Ladakh and Kargil. With its mammoth power generation capacity, solar project at Ladakh will become the world’s largest single-location solar photo-voltaic plant, Times of India has reported.

The solar power projects in Ladakh and Kargil are slated to be completed by 2023 at an estimated investment of Rs 45,000 crore.

Ladakh project will be located at Hanle-Khaldo in Nyoma at a 254 km distance from Leh. The power generated by the project will go to Kaithal in Haryana for which a 900 km line will be laid mostly along the Leh-Manali road.

On the other hand, the Kargil project will be built 254 km away from district headquarter at Suru in Zanskar. The project will be connected to the power grid at New Wanpoh near Sri Nagar.

Bids for the projects include combining the plant and associated transmission lines and putting promoters in control so that they do not have to depend on another entity for transmission and suffer in case of delaying of evacuation routes.

“We have addressed issues faced in previous tenders and taken into account the challenging geography," SECI director (power systems) SK Mishra was quoted in the report as saying.

Leh and Kargil administrations have designated 25,000 and 12,500 acres of non-grazing land, respectively, at prices remunerative for the hill councils. They will also earn a rental of around Rs 1,200 per hectare per annum with 3 per cent annual increase.