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Enhanced geothermal systems electric-resource assessment for the Great Basin, southwestern United States

Erick R. Burns·Colin F. Williams·Jacob DeAngelo
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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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90° N90° S · 180° W ← longitude → 180° E
Source-reported bounding extent: 34.46059631275067° to 43.77202682002738° latitude; -122.0302036294112° to -110.54433535091547° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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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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California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah placeFact Sheet subjectGreat Basin placeReport subjectUnited STates place

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