A historic tri-partite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)for establishing the first-ever Geothermal Field Development Project in India, at Puga Leh was signed on February 6 in Leh between UT Administration Ladakh, LAHDC-Leh, and ONGC Energy centre.

L-G, Radha Krishna Mathur; CEC LAHDC-Leh, Advocate Tashi Gyalson; MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, and Advisor Umang Narula were present.

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.

Speaking on the occasion, Lieutenant Governor said that Ladakh is blessed with a rich bounty of potential resources. He said that signing of the MoU with ONGC for the first geothermal project in India is a promising initiative towards innovative and sustainable development of Ladakh and also a step towards achieving the goal of carbon-neutral Ladakh. The LG emphasized the need to study and learn from other countries about developing tourism and greenhouses around the geothermal project.                              

L-G Mathur lauded the efforts put in by the CEC, LAHDC, Leh, and his team in evolving the MoU with ONGC and initiating the geothermal project. He thanked ONGC Energy Centre for commencing the geothermal project in Ladakh and urged them to execute it at the earliest and ramp it up to 200 MW capacity for greater benefit. 

Director-General, ONGC Energy Centre, Dr. Sanjeev S Katti while giving a brief description about the pilot project informed that energy from this project will give 24x7 power supplies and the hot water from the spring could be used for space-heating and establishing hot swimming pools to attract tourists.           

Member of Parliament from Ladakh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal thanked LG for helping Ladakh enter a new era of development and stressed advocating the ‘Vocal for Local’ concept for making Ladakh a self-sustainable region.CEC, LAHDC, Leh Tashi Gyalson called the signing of the MoU a historic moment for Ladakh and said that this project would increase job opportunities and tourism in the region. 

In Phase 1 of this pilot project, 1MW Power generation capacity shall be generated and 100 % free power shall be supplied to the general public. ONGC-OEC is the implementing agency for this Pilot Project. Phase 2, shall involve a deeper and lateral exploration of a geothermal reservoir by drilling an optimal number of wells and setting up a higher capacity demo plant in Ladakh. Phase 3 shall be a commercial project as per discovered capacity.

The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the first Developmental Conclave held in Leh.