Why in News?

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.

Key Facts About the Project

Location and Depth

  • Both wells drilled to a depth of 1,000 metres at an altitude of more than 14,000 feet in Puga Valley
  • Puga Valley is located in Ladakh's south-eastern Changthang region, approximately 22 km from the Salt Lake Valley
  • Renowned for scenic landscape and geothermal activity, the valley is known for natural hot sulphur springs

Power Generation Target

  • The wells will support the proposed 1 MW pilot geothermal power plant
  • This will become India's first demonstration-scale geothermal power project

Working Mechanism

  • The project harnesses heat naturally stored beneath Earth's surface
  • Generates reliable, round-the-clock renewable electricity
  • Unlike weather-dependent solar and wind power, geothermal provides consistent baseload power

Temperature Recorded

  • Maximum temperature of 135°C recorded at a depth of 400 metres
  • Further testing underway to assess higher temperatures and commercial potential of the reservoir

Executing Agency

  • Project implemented by ONGC Energy Centre in collaboration with:
  • Ladakh Administration
  • Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh

What is Geothermal Energy?

Definition

Geothermal energy is heat derived from the Earth's interior used to:

  • Generate electricity
  • Provide direct heating
  • Heat or cool buildings

Why Renewable?

  • Earth's internal heat is continuously replenished by:
  • Residual heat from Earth's formation
  • Natural decay of radioactive elements

Sources

  • Deep reservoirs: Underground hot water/steam accessed by drilling wells
  • Near-surface resources: Hot springs and shallow hydrothermal reservoirs in geologically active regions
  • Shallow ground: Stable temperature at shallow depths used by geothermal heat pumps

Institutional Framework

National Policy on Geothermal Energy, 2025

  • Aims to promote exploration and development of India's untapped geothermal resources
  • Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is the nodal ministry

India's Geothermal Potential

Global Context

  • Global geothermal power-generation capacity: 15.4 GW by end of 2024
  • Leading countries: United States, followed by Indonesia and Philippines

India's Resources

  • Geological Survey of India has identified 381 hot springs
  • Surface temperatures ranging from approximately 35°C to 89°C
  • India's geothermal power potential: ~10,600 MW

10 Officially Recognised Geothermal Provinces

  1. Himalayan
  2. Naga-Lusai
  3. Andaman and Nicobar Islands
  4. Son–Narmada–Tapi
  5. West Coast
  6. Cambay Graben
  7. Aravalli
  8. Mahanadi
  9. Godavari
  10. South Indian Cratonic

Major Identified Sites

  • Puga and Chumathang in Ladakh
  • Manikaran in Himachal Pradesh
  • Tapoban in Uttarakhand
  • Bakreshwar in West Bengal
  • Tuwa in Gujarat
  • Tattapani in Chhattisgarh
  • Deulajhari in Odisha

Significance for India

  1. Clean Energy Transition: Provides baseload renewable power independent of weather conditions
  2. Carbon Neutrality Goals: Supports Ladakh's ambition to become carbon-neutral
  3. Energy Security: Diversifies India's renewable energy portfolio
  4. Strategic Importance: Demonstrates technological capability in challenging terrain
  5. Environmental Benefits: Minimal land use, low emissions, sustainable heat source

Previous Year UPSC Questions

Prelims 2013: Which of the following are responsible for bringing dynamic changes on the surface of the earth?

  • Electromagnetic radiation, Geothermal energy, Gravitational force, Plate movements, Rotation of the earth, Revolution of the earth
  • Answer: All of the above

Mains 2016: Give an account of the current status and targets for renewable energy sources in India. Discuss the importance of National Programme on LEDs.