ONGC has completed drilling its second geothermal well in Ladakh's Puga Valley, a key step toward building India's first 1 MWe pilot geothermal power plant. The well reached 1,000 meters depth at over 14,000 feet altitude in about a month, improving on the timeline and cost of the first well. The first well produced steam above boiling point, confirming the area's geothermal potential. The project aims to provide reliable baseload low-carbon electricity for Ladakh, complementing solar and wind which depend on weather conditions. Geothermal energy offers round-the-clock power with a small land footprint, making it attractive for remote high-altitude regions. India's non-fossil fuel capacity has grown from 81 GW in 2014 to 288 GW now, with solar at 155 GW and wind at 56.4 GW. The next phase requires deeper integration of generation, storage, and transmission systems. The Puga Valley project could be a test case for commercial geothermal in India if technical and economic hurdles are overcome.
