World’s first 50 MW superhot geothermal power plant targets Oregon by 2030

Quaise Energy said it is moving ahead with plans to build what it describes as the world’s first power plant using superhot geothermal energy, with an initial 50-megawatt facility planned in Oregon. The Houston-based startup said the first phase of Project Obsidian is already under construction and could begin operations as early as 2030. The company said an internal analysis presented at the 2026 Stanford Geothermal Workshop supports output of at least 50 MW of always-on renewable electricity from a small number of wells. Superhot geothermal refers to tapping rock hotter than 300°C (572°F). At such temperatures, geothermal wells can potentially deliver far more energy than conventional systems while using less land. The company said later expansions at the same site could lift output to 250 MW, with longer-term plans reaching 1 GW. Deep heat gamble “Our goal is to build out to a gigawatt in the area,” said Carlos Araque, CEO and co-founder of Quaise. Quaise is developing a drilling system that uses millimeter wave energy to melt and vaporize rock at extreme depths where conventional drill bits struggle with heat and pressure. Today, superhot rock is accessible only in limited regions such as Iceland, where it lies closer to the surface. Broader deployment has been restricted by the difficulty and cost of drilling several miles underground. According to the company, Project Obsidian is a Tier I site where superhot temperatures can be reached at around five kilometers (about three miles) below ground. Early wells there will be drilled conventionally before millimeter-wave systems are introduced on hotter wells. The first phase will include two geothermal well systems targeting different temperature zones. One system will reach rock averaging 315°C (599°F), while another will target rock averaging 365°C (689°F). The lower-temperature system carries less technical risk and could help the company refine methods before moving to hotter zones. First wells crucial A separ…