India’s 1st Geothermal Wells Commissioned at Puga Valley:
India has commissioned its first and deepest geothermal wells at Puga Valley in Ladakh, marking a significant step in the country’s clean-energy transition and Ladakh’s goal of becoming carbon-neutral.
- Both wells have been drilled to a depth of 1,000 metres at an altitude of more than 14,000 feet in Puga Valley, one of India’s most promising geothermal-energy locations.
- The wells will support the proposed 1 MW pilot geothermal power plant, which is expected to become India’s first demonstration-scale geothermal power project.
- The project will harness heat naturally stored beneath the Earth’s surface to generate reliable, round-the-clock renewable electricity, unlike weather-dependent solar and wind power.
- A maximum temperature of 135°C has been recorded at a depth of 400 metres, with further testing underway to assess higher temperatures and the reservoir’s commercial potential.
- The project is being implemented by the ONGC Energy Centre in collaboration with the Ladakh Administration and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh.
- Puga Valley is located in Ladakh’s south-eastern Changthang region, approximately 22 km from the Salt Lake Valley.
- Renowned for its scenic landscape and geothermal activity, the valley is particularly known for its natural hot sulphur springs.
