With this move, the remote Puga Valley, located at an altitude of over 14,000 feet, is poised to become the cradle of India’s geothermal energy revolution.
Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena
From icy mountains to underground heat reservoirs, Ladakh is set to harness nature’s hidden energy after Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena approved the continuation of collaboration with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to establish India’s first geothermal power plant in the Puga Valley.
With this move, the remote Puga Valley, located at an altitude of over 14,000 feet, is poised to become the cradle of India’s geothermal energy revolution.
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A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on 6 February 2021 between the Ladakh Administration, LAHDC Leh and ONGC Energy Centre had expired on 5 February 2026. Since then, ONGC had sought an extension, citing incomplete work due to harsh weather conditions.
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Considering the strategic importance of the project, the Lieutenant Governor approved a five-year extension of the MoU between the Ladakh Administration, LAHDC Leh and ONGC Energy Centre.
Under the agreement, ONGC will establish a 1 MW pilot geothermal power plant in Puga Valley and prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for large-scale commercial exploitation of geothermal energy in Ladakh.
Geothermal energy refers to heat extracted from beneath the Earth’s crust. This renewable energy originates from the planet’s core and heats surrounding rocks and underground water reservoirs. India currently does not have a large-scale commercial geothermal power plant, making the Puga Valley project the first of its kind in the country.
According to the MoU, the ONGC Energy Centre will deepen the existing geothermal well up to 1,000 metres during the 2026 working season and subsequently drill another geothermal well of similar depth in the next phase. Testing, evaluation and commissioning of the pilot geothermal power plant are expected during 2026–27.
Under Phase II, surveys and geothermal investigations will also be conducted in the Chumathang area, followed by drilling activities and preparation of a DPR for commercial-scale geothermal development in Ladakh.
The Puga Valley and Chumathang regions lie within the Himalayan geothermal belt, where tectonic plate collisions generate intense underground heat. A test well drilled in Puga Valley has already tapped high-pressure steam and hot fluids, producing temperatures exceeding 200°C at a depth of just 400 metres.
The geothermal initiative, alongside ongoing solar energy projects in Ladakh, is expected to reduce dependence on conventional fuels, lower carbon emissions and position Ladakh as a leading renewable energy hub in India, in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The geothermal energy project in Puga Valley has the potential to become a game changer for Ladakh and a landmark initiative in India’s clean energy journey. Sustainably harnessing geothermal energy will not only strengthen Ladakh’s energy security but also significantly contribute towards the vision of making Ladakh a carbon-neutral and environmentally sustainable region,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
Despite extremely challenging terrain, severe weather conditions and technical complexities, ONGC successfully drilled the first geothermal well to a depth of 405 metres in 2025, making it the deepest geothermal well drilled in Ladakh so far.
Geothermometric studies and analysis of geothermal samples have revealed subsurface temperatures exceeding 240°C, considered suitable for geothermal power generation. The proposed pilot power plant is expected to operate at a turbine inlet temperature of around 200°C with a targeted generation capacity of 1 MW.
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