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Indian Norwegian venture proposes geothermal development in 3 locations in India

Indian Norwegian venture proposes geothermal development in 3 locations in India Manikaran, India (source: flickr/ mvcorks, creative commons)
Alexander Richter 23 Mar 2012

A joint Indian-Norwegian venture is proposing geothermal development in India, at the locations of Tatta Pani in Mandi, Manikaran and Vashisht in the Kullu valley and Puga and Chuma-Thang in Ladakh.

With an expected geothermal energy potential of about 10,000 MW, the country has so far not seen the development of a project.

So the following news from the country provide some hope. A project team of a “joint Indo-Norwegian venture proposed that Tatta Pani in Mandi, Manikaran and Vashisht in the Kullu valley and Puga and Chuma-Thang in Ladakh can be developed as geothermal tourist destinations if these natural sources of energy are tapped properly.

On a “save-hot water springs mission” in the western Himalayas, the team of scientists today inspected the Tatta Pani hot water springs in the district and proposed to the government its action plan.

The team says this natural source of geothermal energy is facing depletion if it is not saved and relocated at Tatta Pani town.

The hot water springs will be submerged in the 800 MW Kol Dam project, being executed by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) on the Sutlej.

Though the NTPC claims that it has relocated the hot water springs at a higher elevation at Tatta Pani town, the team found that it needs a proper geological study and a fresh initiative to relocate the geothermal energy.

Talking to The Tribune from Tatta Pani, the coordinator of the Indo-Norwegian joint venture, Dr Ritesh Arya, said, “The hot water springs here have not been suitably relocated and tapped. The source can be used for space heating and hot baths. Tata Pani can emerge as a geothermal tourist destination.”

Dr Arya, a geologist who has entered the Guinness Book of World Records by boring the highest tube well in the world in Ladakh, said they had inspected the Manikaran and Vashisht hot water springs in Kullu-Manali, Puga and Chuma-Thang in Ladakh.”

Source: The Tribune India