During the meeting, various aspects of the project were discussed, which included the design, supply, manufacturing, erection, testing and commissioning of 15 MVA, 220/66 KV sub-station at Kochik in Kargil.
Tsewang Paljor, Chief Engineer, PWD, informed the LG that Kochik was 80 km from Kargil and 35 km near the 66/11 Sankoo sub-station.
He also informed the L-G that electricity to areas such as Namsuru, Taisuru, Panikhar, Yuljuk, Thulus Pursa, Kochik and Parkachik was being supplied through the 11 KV Panikhar feeder from the Sankoo substation. Low voltage level was one of the major problems that they were facing due to the long distance.
The chief engineer said the 35-km 66 KV line was proposed from Sankoo sub-station to Kochik by the power grid, and accordingly, a 66/11 KV sub-station at Kochik was proposed by the Ladakh Power Development Department (LPDD) and approved in 2022. However, the scheme could not take off.
Paljor said the 66/11 KV Kochik sub-station was approved under the State Sector Plan, which is currently under construction and expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
He also informed the L-G about the feasible option of Line In-Line Out (LILO) arrangement and 220/66 KV Gas Insulated Sub-station from the 220 KV Drass-Padum line traversing near the Kochik station. He further told the L-G about the advantages of the project, which is expected to cost around Rs 45 crore.
Inquiring about the utility of the project and its benefit to the maximum people residing in the area, the L-G stated that high-tension lines should not pass through the inhabited villages and no agricultural land should be affected by the project.
He also stated that options must be explored to fund the project under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), to provide reliable power supply to the residents of Taisuru block in Kargil district.