Overview
- Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena formally commissioned two 1,000‑metre geothermal wells at Puga Valley on Friday, marking the first deep geothermal wells completed in India.
- The wells were drilled by ONGC Energy Centre at an altitude above 14,000 feet and engineers logged temperatures up to 135°C at 400 metres during drilling.
- Work resumed after Saxena helped secure a renewed five‑year tripartite MoU in June between the UT administration, LAHDC‑Leh and ONGC Energy Centre that restored institutional backing.
- Teams are now carrying out detailed reservoir evaluation and temperature testing to decide feasibility and design for the planned 1 MW demonstration pilot and any future commercial development.
- If viable, geothermal power could supply round‑the‑clock electricity and heat for homes, greenhouses and tourism in Ladakh while reducing diesel reliance, though extreme altitude and short field seasons will shape timelines.