J&K Admin Approves Rs. 400 Crore Rooftop Solar Project for Government Buildings.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration approved a Rs 400 crore project on Sunday to install grid-tied rooftop solar power systems on all government buildings in the union territory. The decision was made during an Administrative Council meeting chaired by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

The project, which will be executed by the Jammu & Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JKEDA), involves installing grid-tied rooftop solar power systems with an aggregate capacity of 70 MW in Capex mode and 200 MW in RESCO mode. This initiative aims to utilize the extensive rooftop spaces of government buildings for solar energy generation.

According to an official spokesman, the solar power systems will be equipped with bi-directional smart meters, and the Virtual Net Metering (VNM) benefit will be provided by DISCOMs. This arrangement will allow the additional energy generated by the solar panels at one site to be adjusted against the electrical connections of different buildings within the same department.

The project is expected to be completed by the end of December 2025, with JKEDA responsible for maintaining the systems free of cost for five years through empaneled vendors. Under the RESCO mode, solar power developers will execute power purchase agreements for 25 years with the respective departments based on tariffs determined through a bidding process.

The installation of 270 MW solar power plants is projected to reduce carbon emissions by approximately 8.3 million tons over 25 years. Additionally, the project is expected to create over 10,800 jobs for highly skilled, skilled, and unskilled personnel. Further job opportunities will arise in secondary and tertiary segments related to solar PV grid-connected projects, including the manufacturing and supply of system equipment such as inverters, cables, and trackers.

BS