Decks have been cleared for India’s first geothermal power project in Leh district with signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the UT administration of Ladakh, LAHDC-Leh and ONGC Energy Centre. The project will be built by ONGC Energy Centre that has already surveyed the area.

The Geothermal Field Development Project will be established at Puga in Leh and is being considered as a major leap towards making Ladakh carbon neutral. The Puga valley in the Changthang valley lies at about 22 km to the east of the Salt Lake valley across the Polokonka La pass (5,350 m). It is famous for its borax and sulphur deposits and hot water springs. People suffering from ailments like rheumatism and skin diseases come for a bath in the hot water springs of the Puga Valley.

The MoU has been signed during the ongoing development conclave during which on Sunday Lt-Governor RK Mathur termed it as a proud moment for the people of UT Ladakh. He described it a big step towards achieving carbonneutrality and clean power.

He said Ladakh has greater potential for solar, wind, hydro and geothermal energy and the clean and green energy will help in neutralising carbon content in Ladakh. This will also make Ladakh an economically viable region.

On behalf of UT Administration Ladakh, Ravinder Kumar, administrative secretary, PDD, and on behalf of LAHDC Leh, Sachin Kumar Vaishya, chief executive officer, LAHDC-Leh, signed the MOU with ONGC Energy Centre.

Earlier, director general ONGC Energy Centre Sanjeev Katti said the 1-MW pilot project is in collaboration between the UT Administration, LAHDC and ONGC Energy Centre. He added that energy from this project will give 24×7 power supply and the hot water from the spring could be used for space-heating and establishing hot swimming pools to attract tourists.

Katti said 1-MW power would be generated in Phase 1 of this pilot project and 100 per cent free power would be supplied to the public. ONGCOEC is the implementing agency for this pilot project. In the second phase, there would be a deeper and a lateral exploration of the geothermal reservoir by drilling the optimal number of wells and setting up of a higher capacity demo plant in Ladakh. The third phase would focus on commercial projects as per the discovered capacity.

The first Development Concave in Ladakh has been organised by the administration of the UT and the conclave aims at chalking out a long-term development plan for Ladakh with a holistic approach focusing on all sectors and departments in consultation with the stakeholders.

Mathur stressed that the UT Administration, Hill Councils and the Panchayati Raj Institution should work together to ensure the progress of Ladakh. He said Ladakh has the potential to become one of the richest Union Territories in the country in terms of per capita income.

Among those present during the MoU signing ceremony were, CEC LAHDC, Leh, Tashi Gyalson, MP Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, Advisor to LG, Umang Narula, CEC, LAHDC Kargil, Kacho Feroz Ahmed Khan; Executive Councillors of LAHDC Leh.