Context:
Northeast’s first geothermal production well successfully drilled
Geothermal energy:
- Energy stored in the form of heat beneath the Earth’s surface.
- A renewable energy source
- Usage – Generate electricity and used for other heating applications.
- Source – From the decay of radioactive isotopes inside the Earth’s core, such as potassium-40 and thorium-232.
- Extraction – Extracted from underground pools of steam and hot water trapped in hot spot regions in the Earth’s crust.
- Molten rocks formed in the deeper hot regions of the Earth’s crust are pushed upward and trapped in certain regions called hot spots.
Geothermal energy in India:
- Hot springs in India are grouped into 7 geothermal provinces – Himalayan, Sahara Valley, Cambay Basin, San-Narmada–Topi Lineament Belt, West Coast, Godavari Basin, and Mahanadi Basin.
- Prominent Locations for Power Plants –
- Manikaran in Himachal Pradesh
- Jalgaon in Maharashtra
- Tapovan in Uttarakhand
- Bakreshwar in West Bengal
- Tuwa in Gujarat
- Important geothermal plants –
- Parvati Valley, Manikaran in Himachal Pradesh
- Puga – Chumathang geothermal sites in Ladakh
Source: TOI
Previous Year Question
In India, why are some nuclear reactors kept under “IAEA safeguards” while others are not?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]
(a) Some use uranium and others use thorium
(b) Some use imported uranium and others use domestic supplies
(c) Some are operated by foreign enterprises and others are operated by domestic enterprises
(d) Some are State-owned and others are privately-owned
Answer: (b)