India has commissioned its first geothermal wells at Puga Valley in Ladakh, marking a significant step towards establishing the country's first geothermal power plant.
The two wells, each drilled to a depth of 1,000 metres at an altitude of about 14,000 feet, are expected to support the development of a 1 MW pilot geothermal power project.
The project was inaugurated by Ladakh Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena.
Officials said the wells are critical for the implementation of India's first demonstration-scale geothermal power project.
The Ladakh administration said the project had faced delays after the expiry of a tripartite memorandum of understanding among the Ladakh Administration, the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh, and the ONGC Energy Centre.
According to the administration, Saxena facilitated the renewal of the MoU for another five years in June, allowing work on the project to resume.
Officials said the successful completion of the wells would enable reservoir evaluation, power plant planning, and the eventual commercial development of geothermal resources in Ladakh.
Project engineers recorded a maximum temperature of 135 degrees Celsius at a depth of 400 metres during drilling. Further testing is underway, and officials said they are hopeful of recording higher temperatures required for operating the 1 MW pilot project and future commercial exploration.
The first well reached its target depth on May 22, 2026, despite challenging underground conditions and geothermal activity. The second well was drilled from June 3 and completed to a depth of 1,000 metres on July 8.
Describing the commissioning as a historic milestone in India's clean energy journey, Saxena said the project would strengthen Ladakh's energy security, promote environmental sustainability and contribute to the region's socio-economic development.
He said the initiative would serve as a blueprint for India's net-zero goals while supporting Ladakh's transition towards becoming a carbon-neutral region.