<h1>Geothermal energy in Puga Valley pilot drilling shows technical feasibility and underscores need for policy support and risk coverage</h1> Pilot geothermal drilling in Puga Valley advances technical feasibility for round-the-clock baseload power, with intended depths to 9001,000 metres and reservoir testing to follow; this demonstrates potential scalability but leaves commercial viability unresolved. The project requires regulatory approvals and a multi-year commissioning timeline of three to four years, and highlights policy imperativesnotably exploration risk coverage and supportive incentivesto attract private investment. Environmental prescriptions are built into project design through closed-loop reinjection, limited land use and low water consumption, and operational standards address high-altitude safety, reservoir testing, and technology choice (binary cycle) suitable for 200250°C reservoirs.