Leh: In a major push toward clean energy and household-level power generation, the Ladakh Power Development Department (LPDD) has invited bids for the installation of rooftop solar systems ranging from 1 kW to 3 kW across up to 7,000 residential households in the Union Territory.
The initiative will be implemented under the central government’s PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana and follows a utility-led aggregation model in partnership with renewable energy service companies. The programme is aimed at reducing dependence on conventional power sources while helping residents lower their electricity bills through solar generation.
According to the tender notice, the last date for bid submission is February 16, 2026, and the bids will be opened the following day on February 17.
Bidders are required to furnish an earnest money deposit (EMD) of ₹28 million. However, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have been exempted from this requirement, a move that could encourage wider participation from smaller firms. A performance bank guarantee of ₹47 million is also mandatory for selected bidders. In place of the guarantee, companies may submit a letter of undertaking from Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA), Power Finance Corporation (PFC), or REC, assuring payment in case the guarantee is invoked. Additionally, a non-refundable bid document fee of ₹10,000 has been fixed.
The financial support structure under the PM Surya Ghar scheme makes the rooftop systems significantly more affordable for households. With a mix of central financial assistance and subsidies for Union Territories, beneficiaries can avail subsidies of ₹53,000 for 1 kW systems, ₹106,000 for 2 kW systems, and up to ₹135,800 for 3 kW systems.
The selected companies will handle the entire lifecycle of the projects, including design, procurement, installation, and commissioning of the rooftop systems. They will also be responsible for operation and maintenance for a period of five years under a build-operate-transfer model.
As part of the implementation, companies must conduct consumer outreach to identify eligible households, carry out technical feasibility assessments of rooftops, and obtain consumer consent before installation. They will also need to ensure proper metering, grid connectivity, and real-time monitoring of energy generation. All installed systems must comply with technical standards and feed electricity into the LPDD grid as per agreed schedules.
To promote domestic manufacturing, the tender mandates the use of solar modules that meet the domestic content requirement and are listed in the government’s Approved List of Models and Manufacturers.
LPDD has set strict technical and financial eligibility criteria for bidders. Interested firms must have executed grid-connected solar projects with a cumulative capacity of at least 5 MW over the past seven financial years, with each project being at least 1 kWp and operational for a minimum of one year. Alternatively, companies with experience in at least two grid-connected solar projects of 500 kWp each, operational for one year or more, can also qualify.
Financially, bidders must report a minimum net worth of ₹100 million in the last financial year, an annual turnover of at least ₹280 million in the past three financial years, and a minimum working capital of ₹750 million.
The latest tender adds to Ladakh’s growing renewable energy portfolio. In the past year, LPDD has floated bids for a 7 MW ground-mounted and canal-mounted solar project integrated with battery storage at the Stakna Hydel Power Facility in Leh. In 2024, rooftop solar projects totaling 2.632 MW were also tendered for government buildings in Kargil district.
Officials believe the new rooftop programme could play a significant role in making Ladakh more energy secure, especially given the region’s high solar potential and challenging winter power scenario. If implemented successfully, the scheme is expected to accelerate Ladakh’s transition toward decentralized and sustainable energy while directly benefiting thousands of households.
