USGS · fs20253027
Enhanced geothermal systems electric-resource assessment for the Great Basin, southwestern United States
Abstract
The U.S. Geological Survey recently (2025) completed a provisional assessment of the geothermal-electric resources associated with high-temperature, low-permeability rock formations of the Great Basin, Southwestern United States. If sufficient technological advances to commercialize enhanced geothermal systems occur, then a current best provisional estimate for electric-power generation capacity of 135 gigawatts electric are available from the upper 6 kilometers of the Earth’s crust. This estimate is a potential substantial increase of the installed geothermal electricity-generating capacity from <1 to 10 percent of current total U.S. power production capacity.
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Erick R. Burns, Colin F. Williams, Jacob DeAngelo. 2025-05-22. Enhanced geothermal systems electric-resource assessment for the Great Basin, southwestern United States. https://doi.org/10.3133/fs20253027
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