Leh: In a landmark milestone for India’s clean energy mission, Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on Friday commissioned the country’s first and deepest geothermal wells at Puga Valley in the Union Territory of Ladakh, an official spokesperson said.
Developed by the ONGC Energy Centre and powered by renewable sources, the commissioning of the two 1,000-metre-deep wells at an altitude of over 14,000 feet would significantly advance Ladakh’s journey towards becoming a clean energy hub as envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the spokesman said.
He said the project, which is a big stride towards setting up of India’s first-ever geothermal power plant, also fulfils the prime minister’s vision of carbon-neutral Ladakh and the call for harnessing alternative, renewable energy sources for future security.
The Lt Governor termed the commissioning of the geothermal wells as a historic milestone in India’s clean energy journey and a defining moment in Ladakh’s transition towards a carbon-neutral future.
“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,” Saxena said.
He lauded the ONGC engineers, saying the Indian engineers and technicians were among the best in the world, capable of achieving the most difficult engineering feats, and they truly symbolise India’s growing stature in the field of global engineering.
The Lt Governor also appreciated every worker associated with the project, saying it was a true testament to their grit, determination and perseverance.
The 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, the spokesperson said.
The geothermal power project had suffered a major setback following the expiry of the earlier tripartite MoU between the Ladakh Administration, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh and ONGC Energy Centre, resulting in critical delays of several months in project execution.
Recognising the strategic importance of geothermal energy for India’s energy security and clean energy transition, the Lt Governor personally intervened to facilitate the renewal of the MoU for another five years, following which works resumed for completion of the two geothermal wells, the spokesperson said.
Successful completion of the two wells would facilitate critical reservoir evaluation, power plant planning and the eventual commercial development of geothermal resources in Ladakh, the spokesperson said.
The official said the project engineers informed that the maximum temperature of 135 degrees Celsius was recorded at a depth of 400 metres. Further testing is on and the engineers are hopeful of achieving even higher temperatures for the operation of the 1-MW pilot geothermal power project and eventual commercial exploration of geothermal energy.
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.
Despite encountering geothermal activities, complex sub-surface conditions and operational challenges, the first of the two wells was successfully drilled to its target depth of 1,000 metres on May 22.
Subsequently, the other geothermal well was spudded on June 3. In a record time of just over a month, it was successfully drilled and completed to 1,000 metres depth on July 8, the spokesperson said.
