L-G VK Saxena commissions India's first two geothermal wells at Puga Valley in Ladakh
Leh, July 17
In a significant step towards making Ladakh a clean energy hub under Prime Minister Narednra Modi's clean energy mission, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Friday commissioned India's first and deepest two geothermal wells at Puga Valley in Ladakh, which were executed by ONGC Energy Centre.
An official statement mentioned that the first of the two wells was successfully drilled to its target depth of 1000 metres on May 22 2026, and the other geothermal well was spudded on June 3 2026. In a record time of just over a month, it was successfully drilled and completed to a depth of 1000 metres on July 8 2026.
Mentioning the project, the Lieutenant Governor, VK Saxena, on X said, "Braving extreme weather, unpredictable geothermal activities and complex subsurface conditions, our engineering teams completed the drilling of wells in a record time."
"I am confident that this geothermal project will catalyze Ladakh's holistic development, strengthening energy security, promoting environmental sustainability, and contributing to socio-economic growth", he added.
He also congratulated all the engineers and technical experts involved in the project.
The statement also highlighted that these two geothermal wells are critical for the successful implementation of the 1 MW pilot geothermal power project at Puga, which will be India's first demonstration-scale geothermal power project.
Speaking on the occasion, LG VK Saxena said, "This Geothermal Power project would act as a catalyst for Ladakh's holistic development. Beyond its scientific significance, this initiative will strengthen Ladakh's energy security, promote environmental sustainability and contribute to regional socio-economic development. What has been achieved in Puga Valley would serve as a blueprint for India's net-zero journey and significantly contribute towards making Ladakh a carbon-neutral and environmentally sustainable region."
Notably, the geothermal power project had suffered a major setback following the expiry of the earlier tripartite MoU between the Ladakh Administration, LAHDC Leh and ONGC Energy Centre, resulting in critical delays of several months in project execution, the statement mentioned.
Project Engineers informed that the maximum temperature of 135 degrees Celsius was recorded at a depth of 400 meters, it added.
The statement also mentioned that futher testing is on and the project engineers are hopeful to achieve even higher temperatures for operation of the 1MW pilot geothermal power project and eventual commercial exploration of geothermal energy.
It was also highlighted in the statement that the project has been undertaken in one of the world's most challenging operating environments, characterised by extreme weather conditions, rugged terrain and a limited annual working season.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally some good news for Ladakh! The extreme weather there is no joke, and drilling to 1000 meters in a month is incredible. Hope this becomes a model for other Himalayan regions too.
I'm cautiously optimistic. Geothermal is great in theory, but India has had mixed results with pilot projects before. The 135°C at 400m is promising, but we need consistent output for 1MW. Let's see how it stabilises.
This is amazing! Ladakh is so remote and dependent on diesel for power. Geothermal could provide stable, clean energy year-round, even in winter when solar doesn't work well. Big step for energy security!
The article mentions the earlier MoU expired causing delays. That's a classic bureaucratic hurdle. Hope the administration has learned and streamlined approvals for future phases. We can't afford such delays in critical projects.
As someone from Ladakh, this gives me hope! Puga Valley is beautiful but underdeveloped. Clean energy means better hospitals, schools, and businesses. Plus it's eco-friendly. Thank you to all the teams who worked in -30°C conditions! 🏔️
Geothermal is the uns
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