Geothermal

Fervo Energy breaks ground on next-gen geothermal project

Fervo Energy breaks ground on next-gen geothermal project
(Courtesy: Fervo)

Fervo Energy held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of its exploration drilling campaign at Cape Station, a next-generation geothermal energy project set to deliver 400 MW of carbon-free electricity. Cape Station will begin delivering around-the-clock, clean power to the grid in 2026 and reach full-scale production in 2028.

Located in Beaver County, Utah, Cape Station will provide roughly 6,600 jobs during construction and 160 full-time jobs throughout its operations, generating more than $437 million in earned wages, Fervo said.

In February, the Utah Bureau of Land Management approved the project’s first Environmental Assessment (EA), issuing a Finding of No Significant Impact pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act. This EA allows Fervo to commence exploration activities at the Cape Station site. Across all operations, Fervo maintains a strict commitment to environmental health and safety and robust community engagement.

Utah is home to immense geothermal potential. Researchers estimate that the southwest portion of the state contains more than 10 GW of high-quality geothermal reserves. Additionally, Cape Station will benefit from the Department of Energy’s Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE). Over the last six years, FORGE has completed research that has advanced geothermal development in the region.

GO DEEPER: Fervo Energy co-founder and CEO Tim Latimer joined the Texas Power Podcast to discuss a hoped-for resurgence in the geothermal energy industry. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Earlier this year, Fervo announced the breakthrough result of its commercial pilot project, Project Red. Using drilling technology honed in the oil and gas industry, Fervo performed a successful 30-day well test, which Fervo says confirms the commercial viability of its drilling technology. The 30-day well test, a standard for geothermal, achieved a flowrate of 63 liters per second at high temperature that enables 3.5 MW of electric production, which Fervo says sets new records for both flow and power output from an enhanced geothermal system.

Cape Station is now positioned to channel $1.1 billion to supply chains and local businesses, catalyzing growth in the county. Fervo is working with experienced oil and gas companies, including Helmerich & Payne, Devon Energy, and Liberty Energy.

“Fervo’s Cape Station will be a tremendous asset to the Milford Valley, breathing life into the local economy and providing jobs to our hard-working residents,” said Nolan Davis, Mayor of Milford, Utah.