Green Light for Geothermal: Ladakh's Puga Valley Project Extended!

Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved a five-year extension of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) for the development of India’s first geothermal power project in the Puga Valley.

The earlier tripartite agreement signed in 2021 between the Ladakh administration, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Leh, and the ONGC Energy Centre had expired in February 2026. ONGC sought an extension due to project delays caused by extreme weather conditions and challenging terrain in the high-altitude Himalayan region.

Under the revised agreement, ONGC will develop a 1-MWe pilot geothermal power plant at an altitude of more than 14,000 feet and prepare a detailed project report for large-scale commercial geothermal development in Ladakh. The initiative aims to harness underground heat as a renewable and low-carbon energy source, making it India’s first commercial geothermal energy project.

Officials said existing wells in Puga Valley have already recorded temperatures exceeding 200 degrees Celsius, indicating strong geothermal potential in the region.

The project, along with Ladakh’s expanding solar energy programme, is expected to reduce dependence on conventional fuels, lower carbon emissions, and strengthen the Union Territory’s position as a renewable energy hub.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.