Leh: Ladakh is set to witness a major transformation in its power infrastructure with the completion of three strategic power transmission projects by September this year, which will connect remote and strategically important areas including Zanskar, Nubra and Siachen Base Camp to the national power grid for the first time.
The projects, being executed under the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP), are aimed at ensuring uninterrupted and reliable electricity supply to some of the most challenging high-altitude regions of Ladakh, reducing dependence on diesel-based power generation and supporting the vision of a carbon-neutral Ladakh.
With the completion of these projects, six out of the seven districts of Ladakh, except Changthang, will be connected with the national power grid, significantly strengthening the region’s energy security and border infrastructure.
Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Shri VK Saxena was recently briefed about the progress of these major power infrastructure projects during a review meeting by the Chairman and Managing Director of REC Limited and Joint Secretary (Transmission), Ministry of Power, Government of India.
The major projects include construction of a 189-kilometre-long 220 KV transmission line from Drass to Padum and a 79-kilometre-long 220 KV transmission line from Phyang to Disket. Both projects are targeted for completion by September 2026, with a sanctioned cost of around Rs 1,925 crore.
The transmission projects will provide round-the-clock electricity supply to remote and strategically significant locations such as Padum in Zanskar and Siachen Base Camp in Nubra, marking a historic milestone in Ladakh’s power sector development.
At present, several strategically important areas including Nubra, Changthang and Zanskar are not fully connected to the national power grid and rely heavily on limited local generation sources, resulting in restricted and intermittent electricity supply. The completion of these projects will substantially expand power connectivity across Ladakh’s remote and border areas.
In Zanskar, four new substations will be established to ensure reliable electricity supply throughout the valley. Similarly, two substations will come up at Siachen Base Camp and Partapur in Nubra, strengthening power access in the strategically sensitive region.
For Changthang, which remains the only district area outside the grid network after completion of the ongoing projects, an extensive 66 KV transmission network has been proposed. The plan includes eight substations at key locations including Durbuk, Phobrang, Chushul, Mudh-Nyoma, Korzok, Hanle, Koyul and Chumathang, aimed at improving electricity availability across the vast high-altitude plateau.
During the review, Lieutenant Governor Shri VK Saxena stressed the importance of completing all projects within the stipulated timelines to ensure dependable power supply to every part of Ladakh, particularly remote villages and border regions.
Highlighting the significance of the projects, the Lieutenant Governor said reliable electricity is not only an infrastructure requirement but a foundation for development in sectors including education, healthcare, tourism, digital connectivity, livelihoods and economic growth.
“Connecting areas like Nubra and Zanskar to the power grid for the first time will mark a historic milestone in Ladakh’s development journey. These projects are of immense strategic and developmental significance and will provide every household and village in Ladakh with reliable electricity and the opportunities it brings,” Shri Saxena said.
The Lieutenant Governor further emphasized that the new transmission lines and substations will strengthen infrastructure along the border areas, improve living conditions of local communities and support inclusive development across Ladakh’s remotest regions.
He directed all implementing agencies to maintain close coordination and ensure timely execution of the projects so that people living in far-flung and strategically important areas receive uninterrupted power supply at the earliest.
