Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has inaugurated the state’s first solar power project equipped with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Spiti Valley. Located in the Rongtong area near Kaza, the project comprises a 2 MW solar power plant and a 1 MWh battery energy storage system. Built at a cost of ₹4.42 crore, the project is situated at an altitude of approximately 3,600 metres above sea level.
The solar power plant is expected to generate around 36 lakh units of electricity annually. By integrating battery storage with solar generation, the project adds energy storage capability to the region’s renewable energy infrastructure. It also demonstrates the potential of solar power and battery storage technology in remote, high-altitude locations with challenging geographical and climatic conditions.
Construction of the project began on May 30, 2023, and the plant was commissioned in December 2024. According to reported figures, the facility generated 22,58,752 units of electricity across the financial years 2024–25 and 2025–26, including generation recorded up to September 30, 2026. The project is intended to support improvements in electricity supply reliability in the remote Himalayan region.
During the inauguration, Sukhu said the solar power project would become a symbol of development in Spiti Valley. He also announced that the Rongtong hydel power project would be made fully functional, with ₹6 crore allocated for the work. The announcement follows concerns raised by local residents regarding the quality and reliability of electricity supply and forms part of efforts to strengthen the region’s power infrastructure.
The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stones for two 66/22 kV substations at Kaza in Lahaul-Spiti district and Sumdo in Kinnaur district. The two substations have a combined project cost of ₹47.95 crore. At present, electricity supply to Spiti relies largely on an approximately 200-kilometre-long 22 kV feeder from Pooh in Kinnaur district. The existing network has faced voltage fluctuations, technical losses and supply difficulties during adverse weather conditions.
The proposed substations are expected to strengthen the electricity distribution network and improve supply reliability in Kaza, Sumdo and surrounding areas. Reliable electricity is important for residents, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, tourism and other essential services in these remote border regions. Together, the solar-plus-storage project and planned grid infrastructure improvements represent steps towards strengthening electricity supply and expanding renewable energy infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh.
