Himachal’s First Battery Solar Plant Inaugurated in Spiti

CM Sukhu inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for a series of development projects totaling 116.28 crore rupees in the remote and strategically vital tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti. A major highlight of the visit was the commissioning of the state’s first battery-backed solar power plant in Rongtong, Kaza. Situated at an altitude of approximately 3,600 meters, the 2 MW solar facility—equipped with a 1 MWh Battery Energy Storage System built at a cost of 4.42 crore rupees—exemplifies how clean energy technology can be successfully deployed in high-altitude Himalayan regions to generate reliable power.

To further reinforce energy security near the border, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stones for 66/22 kV substations at Sumdo and Kaza, amounting to 47.95 crore rupees. Located close to the Line of Actual Control, these new installations will overcome long-standing challenges of voltage fluctuations and technical losses tied to the distant Pooh feeder, ensuring uninterrupted power for local communities, defense establishments, and essential public services. Additionally, the government has earmarked 6 crore rupees to make the local Rongtong Hydel Power Project fully functional, addressing electricity reliability issues first raised during his initial visit to the valley in 2023.

Infrastructural enhancements also extended to road connectivity with the inauguration of the 39.55 crore rupee Chhidang-Tangti Khar Telling Road in Pin Valley and the 24.36 crore rupee upgraded Tanzit-Hikkim Road. Transformed into durable, all-weather routes complete with essential safety barriers and signage, these projects will greatly ease the transport of agricultural goods like green peas and seed potatoes, improve access to vital health and educational institutions, and give a major boost to tourism around iconic locations such as Hikkim village.