Menengai’s Broken Promise: How Kenya’s Geothermal Model Lost the Steam Thematic image of the Olkaria Geothermal Field Kenya’s Menengai geothermal project was sold as a model of modern public-private partnership. The state would carry the difficult and expensive burden of geothermal exploration and drilling. Private power producers would then build, own and operate power plants. Geothermal Development Company would supply the steam; the independent power producers would convert it into electricity; Kenya Power would buy the output. On paper, the arrangement was elegant. In practice, Menengai has exposed a far more uncomfortable reality: Kenya’s public steam-supply model is not delivering the certainty it promised. Menengai Phase I was designed to produce 105 megawatts from three 35 MW plants. GDC’s own project page says the three plants were awarded to Globeleq Menengai Geothermal, Sosian Menengai Geothermal Power and OrPower Twenty Two under a build-own-operate structure. Yet the ...
The geothermal revolution is heating up—and it's not just hot air. Imagine tapping into the Earth's own fiery core to generate clean, reliable power that never stops, day or night, rain or shine.
That's no longer a sci-fi dream; it's happening right now in the rugged deserts of Southwest Utah. Fervo Energy, a trailblazing company out of Texas, has teamed up with global electrification giant ABB to bring the Cape Station project online, poised to become the world's largest next-generation geothermal development.
Announced on January 28, 2026, this strategic alliance marks a pivotal moment in the clean energy transition. ABB will supply critical medium-voltage electrification and motor control solutions, including high-power motors, drives, generators, switchgear, and prefabricated eHouses. These technologies will power the massive pumps and systems needed to extract heat from deep underground efficiently and reliably.
Cape Station isn't your grandfather's geothermal plant. Traditional geothermal relies on naturally occurring hot water reservoirs, limiting it to specific volcanic hotspots. Fervo flips the script with enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), borrowing techniques from the shale oil boom—like horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing—to create artificial reservoirs in hot, dry rock. Drill deep, fracture the granite, pump cold water down one well, let it heat up as it flows through cracks, and bring superheated water back up another to spin turbines. The result? Scalable, 24/7 carbon-free power almost anywhere with hot enough rocks.
Located in Beaver County, Utah, near Milford and adjacent to the U.S. Department of Energy's FORGE research site, Cape Station benefits from proven geology and existing infrastructure. Construction kicked off years ago, with groundbreaking in 2023 and steady progress since. Phase I is on track to deliver the first 100 MW of baseload power to the grid as early as 2026—enough to light up tens of thousands of homes—followed by an additional 400 MW in subsequent phases for a total of 500 MW. That's equivalent to powering around 355,000 average U.S. households annually, all without a single puff of CO2.
What makes this partnership electrifying (pun intended) is the synergy between Fervo's innovative subsurface wizardry and ABB's battle-tested surface tech. Fervo's CEO and co-founder Tim Latimer praised ABB's "proven track record" and ability to "advise, develop, and execute at scale." In return, ABB's Brandon Spencer highlighted how such collaborations expand the potential of reliable renewables using tech that's available today.
ABB is delivering more than 80 advanced drives to manage massive horsepower loads, plus medium-voltage motors and low-voltage control centers. These components ensure the pumps—heart of the operation—run efficiently, minimizing energy loss and maximizing output. Prefabricated eHouses will shelter the well-pad electrical gear, speeding deployment and reducing on-site hassle in Utah's harsh terrain.
This isn't just about one project; it's a blueprint for the future. Geothermal has long been the sleeping giant of renewables—clean, firm (always-on), and domestic—but held back by high upfront costs and geographic limits. Fervo's breakthroughs, like slashing drilling times by 70% compared to early pilots, are crashing those barriers. With billions in funding pouring in (including massive recent rounds) and power purchase agreements with utilities like Southern California Edison, Cape Station proves enhanced geothermal can scale fast.
Picture the impact: As AI data centers guzzle power and electrification surges, the grid craves stable, zero-emission baseload sources. Solar and wind are fantastic but intermittent; batteries help, but they're expensive at scale. Geothermal fills that gap—providing the "always-on" backbone for a decarbonized future. Utah's southwest, rich in geothermal gradients, could unlock gigawatts more, turning the state into a clean energy powerhouse.
The collaboration also underscores a broader trend: Oil-and-gas expertise repurposed for green goals. Horizontal wells from a single pad minimize surface impact—fewer roads, less land disturbance—while unlocking vast resources previously out of reach. It's fracking for heat, but without the fossil fuels. Environmental safeguards are front and center, with Fervo emphasizing community engagement and hiring locals for jobs from construction to operations.
As Cape Station ramps up, eyes are on 2026 for first power—a milestone that could redefine what's possible in renewables. ABB and Fervo aren't just building a plant; they're forging a path where the Earth's heat becomes our endless, clean fuel source.
The ground beneath our feet holds immense power. Thanks to visionaries like Fervo and partners like ABB, we're finally learning how to tap it responsibly and at scale. The geothermal era isn't coming—it's already here, and it's hotter than ever.
Source: ABB
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