Geothermal Energy — Puga Valley, Ladakh

What happened?

India commissioned its first and deepest two 1,000-metre geothermal wells at Puga Valley, Ladakh.

Key Facts

• Location: Puga Valley, Ladakh
• Altitude: 14,000+ ft
• Well depth: 1,000 m
• Temperature at 400 m: 135°C
• Planned project: 1 MW pilot geothermal power plant
• Executed by: ONGC Energy Centre

Why Important?

Geothermal energy can:

• Diversify India’s renewable-energy basket.
• Provide relatively continuous power.
• Support energy security in remote areas.
• Reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

UPSC Link

GS-I: Geography — geothermal regions
GS-III: Renewable energy & energy security

Prelims hook:

Puga Valley → Ladakh → Geothermal → 1 MW pilot project.