J&K’s installed solar power capacity stands at 74.49 MW
*Parliament Panel expresses concern over imbalance
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 13: A Parliamentary Standing Committee has raised serious concerns over the glaring mismatch between Ladakh’s immense solar energy potential and its minuscule installed capacity, noting that the Union Territory’s renewable energy development remains far below expectations.
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Despite being one of the sunniest regions in India with extremely high insolation levels offering some of the best conditions for solar power generation in the country, Ladakh’s installed solar capacity stands at just 11 MW or 0.01 Giga Watt (6 MW Ground Mounted Solar and 5 MW RTS including PM-Surya Ghar Yojana), Parliament’s Standing Committee on Energy has mentioned in the report regarding performance evaluation of solar power projects in the country.
The committee has emphasized that Ladakh’s high insolation levels make it ideal for solar energy development, yet federal and regional focus has failed to translate this potential into installed capacity. It has expressed concern that current efforts are piecemeal and insufficient to meet both local energy needs and broader renewable targets.
“We expect the Ministry of Renewable Energy and other central agencies to promote the development of solar energy in areas having low solar capacity vis-à-vis potential like Ladakh Union Territory by handholding through supportive policies, timely Central Financial Assistance (CFA) release, regular monitoring of projects and constant engagement for early detection and timely resolution of the various issues”, the committee has mentioned in the report tabled in the Parliament recently.
Admitting that land acquisition is one of the major issues affecting the timely development of solar projects, especially the utility-scale projects, the Standing Committee has recommended creation of a single window clearance mechanism, bringing all stakeholders of Centre and UT level at one place for easy identification of land related issues and their time bound resolution.
About Green Energy Corridor Phase-II: Inter-State Transmission System for 13 GW RE Projects in Ladakh, the committee was apprised that project was sanctioned on 15.02.2024 and RE capacity is 13 GW (9 GW Solar + 4 GW Wind) + 12 Giga Watt hour (GWh) Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).
The transmission system, which will cover Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana, will be implemented by Power Grid Corporation of India Limited within a period of seven years at a cost of Rs 20,773.70 crore. The Parliamentary Standing Committee has stressed that timeline should be strictly adhered to and regular reviews should be conducted to resolve hurdles, if any.
The panel’s report underscores that without strategic incentives and robust implementation, Ladakh risks remaining an underutilized solar powerhouse despite its world-class insolation potential. If addressed effectively, renewable energy development could not only ensure clean power for residents but also contribute significantly to India’s broader energy transition goals.
In contrast, Jammu & Kashmir’s renewable achievements propelled by rooftop solar installations and distributed generation schemes illustrate what targeted policy intervention can deliver. The UT has rolled out rooftop systems across thousands of buildings, contributing a significant portion of its installed solar tally.
As on July 31, 2025, the J&K’s installed capacity of solar power stands at 74.49 MW, which includes 2.49 MW ground mounted solar, 42.2 MW RTS including PM-Surya Ghar Yojana and 29.8 MW off-grid solar.
As far as component-B of PM-KUSUM Scheme is concerned, J&K UT has installed 2955 standalone solar agricultural pumps as against sanctioned 5000 while as not even single pump has been installed in Ladakh UT although 1400 have been sanctioned, the Parliamentary Standing Committee pointed out.
The Standing Committee has urged the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE), the Ministry of Power and administration of both the UTs to fast-track solar and hybrid renewable projects with clear timelines and vendor selection, accelerate grid connectivity and power evacuation infrastructure and leverage rooftop solar and distributed generation to ensure local energy security while scaling larger utility-scale projects.
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