CTR and Baker Hughes to collaborate on 500-MW Hell’s Kitchen geothermal power project, California
Steam testing at the site of the Hell's Kitchen geothermal project in Imperial County, California (source: CTR)
Carlo Cariaga
9 Sep 2025
Baker Hughes and Controlled Thermal Resources will be collaborating on the Hell's Kitchen geothermal power and critical minerals project in California.
Controlled Thermal Resources (CTR) and Baker Hughes have entered into definitive agreements to collaborate on the development of up to 500 MW of baseload geothermal power at CTR’s Hell’s Kitchen project in Imperial County, California.
Under the terms of the agreements, Baker Hughes will deploy high-temperature drilling technologies, power systems, and digital field services to bring scalable, cost-effective, and high-reliability geothermal energy to market. With more than 40 years of experience, Baker Hughes efficiently taps into this clean, renewable energy source, leveraging specialized technologies and a fully integrated approach from subsurface to surface.
As digital capacities accelerate, hyperscale data center operators face one of their greatest challenges: securing dependable, low-carbon power. Unlike intermittent renewables, geothermal energy runs at capacity factors above 98 percent, making it uniquely suited to power AI clusters and data centers that require uninterrupted operations.
The CTR Hell’s Kitchen project will showcase geothermal power generation alongside the extraction of battery-grade lithium chemicals and critical minerals from geothermal brine. The company has secured a 40MW power purchase agreement with the Imperial Irrigation District and lithium supply agreements with major U.S. auto manufacturers. CTR has received also a Conditional Use Permit to commence Stage 1 construction activities, and the project has been designated as a FAST-41 covered project, ensuring interagency coordination to expedite federal permitting approvals.
The staged development will deliver baseload geothermal energy at scale, providing reliable power for hyperscale data centers and artificial intelligence infrastructure. As a cornerstone of U.S. energy security, the project ensures dependable, clean power for industries driving the nation’s economic future. With the flexibility to accommodate data center development onsite and provide ‘behind-meter’ power, Hell’s Kitchen is positioned to rank among the most significant baseload renewable energy projects in the United States, positioning California at the forefront of AI-ready infrastructure.
“America’s digital economy is at an inflection point,” said Rod Colwell, Chief Executive Officer of CTR. “Hyperscale data center and AI demands are surging, but they cannot run on intermittent renewables. The Hell’s Kitchen project will provide 500 MW of baseload energy to meet this demand. Baker Hughes has built its reputation on delivering world-class services and is blazing a trail to advance geothermal development in the United States. Their proven technologies and disciplined execution are game changers for our growing industry, and combined with CTR’s development expertise at the Salton Sea, we are setting new benchmarks for reliable and resilient power infrastructure.”
“Baker Hughes is proud to work with CTR on this pioneering project to provide the technologies, advanced drilling systems, digital services, and subsurface expertise to help ensure geothermal is available at an industrial scale,” added Maria Claudia Borras, Chief Growth & Experience Officer at Baker Hughes.
“Together with CTR’s project leadership, we aim to deliver one of the largest baseload renewable energy projects in the United States, providing the dependable lower-carbon energy that hyperscale operators demand.”
Source: Email correspondence
