ITANAGAR, May 5: The Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CESHS) has successfully drilled Northeast India’s first geothermal production well at Dirang in Arunachal Pradesh’s West Kameng district, an official said on Monday.
The successful drilling marks a major milestone in the region’s quest for sustainable energy and represents a first-of-its-kind initiative in the Northeast, CESHS geosciences division head Rupankar Rajkhowa said.
He said the achievement follows two years of intensive geochemical and structural surveys of hot springs across western Arunachal Pradesh.
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Once operational, geothermal energy will power eco-friendly solutions, including fruit, nut, and meat drying, space heating, and controlled-atmosphere storage systems — vital technologies for improving agricultural and living conditions in the high-altitude terrain of the state, he said.
The project is the result of international scientific collaboration between CESHS, the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), Oslo, the Icelandic geothermal firm Geotropy ehf, and the drilling team from Guwahati Boring Service (GBS).
Through advanced geochemical analysis, the Dirang region has been identified as a medium-to-high enthalpy geothermal zone, with reservoir temperatures estimated at 115 degrees Celsius, making it highly suitable for direct-use geothermal applications.
Structural and geological mapping in the Dirang area revealed quartzite overlying schist at tectonic contacts near the Main Central Thrust (MCT), consistent with extensional normal faults found elsewhere in the higher and lesser Himalayas. These insights have enabled precision drilling to access the geothermal reservoir with minimal environmental impact.
This breakthrough project is supported by the Government of Arunachal Pradesh and the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Rajkhowa added.
With the first production well completed, CESHS plans to scale operations with deeper drilling in Dirang, potentially making it India’s first geothermal-powered city for space heating, he added.
“This pioneering development paves the way for a new era of clean energy in the Himalayas,” CESHS director Tana Tage said.
“It demonstrates the potential of geothermal resources in transforming regional livelihoods while ensuring environmental sustainability,” he added.
The geothermal-powered drying and storage facilities are expected to become operational soon, setting a national precedent for sustainable energy use in mountainous and remote regions.
The CESHS is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Science and Technology of the Government of Arunachal Pradesh. (PTI)
