J&K Turns to Solar Energy with 10-MW Plant on Defunct Gas Site

The Jammu and Kashmir government has announced that the Pampore gas turbine facility is undergoing decommissioning, with its 56-acre site being repurposed for the Union Territory’s largest utility-scale solar power plant.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also holds the power portfolio, revealed this in the Legislative Assembly while responding to queries from National Conference legislators. The Pampore gas turbine plant, with a combined capacity of 175 MW, has been non-operational since 2012 and is now deemed beyond repair due to prolonged disuse and high generation costs of around ₹30 per unit.

In line with the national thrust on clean energy, the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (JKSPDC) is spearheading the development of a 10-MW grid-connected agro-solar power project on the site. The first 5 MW will be built on 25 acres, with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) appointed as the implementing agency. Construction is expected to begin by year-end.

Although the solar plant will feed into the central grid without direct allocation to local consumers, it will bolster the region’s renewable power capacity. Abdullah also highlighted that while mega solar parks are challenging due to J&K’s difficult terrain, 75 MW of rooftop solar has already been installed across the Union Territory under central government schemes, with ongoing installations under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.