Utah tests enhanced geothermal technology to power AI data centers

Engineers at a government-backed research site in Utah are testing enhanced geothermal technology to determine if oil-and-gas fracking techniques can create a reliable, widespread source of electricity. The Department of Energy’s FORGE project is investigating whether drilling deep wells to circulate water through hot, fractured rock can expand geothermal energy production beyond traditional geological hotspots.

This technology is gaining attention as a potential energy solution for the massive, uninterrupted power demands of artificial intelligence and data centers. Fervo Energy, which is developing a project near the Utah site, has already secured a deal involving Alphabet.

However, the rapid growth of data centers in Utah has prompted legislative scrutiny. Lawmakers are evaluating whether the economic benefits, such as property tax revenue, outweigh the significant demands these facilities place on public infrastructure, including electricity grids, water supplies, and air quality.