Ormat geothermal projects to be covered by US emergency permitting procedures
The McGinness Hills geothermal complex in Nevada, an Ormat Technology project that uses ABB generators. (source: ABB)
Carlo Cariaga
31 May 2025
Three geothermal power projects of Ormat in Nevada will benefit from expedited environmental review under the US DOI's emergency permitting procedures.
The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) has announced the list of the first geothermal projects that will benefit by the Department’s emergency permitting procedures. The projects, under development by Ormat Nevada Inc. are the following:
- Diamond Flat Geothermal Project (near Fallon, Nevada) – Ormat plans to drill test wells and conduct geothermal resource confirmation activities on federally leased land to determine whether the geothermal reservoir is commercially viable.
- McGinness Hills Geothermal Optimization Project (Lander County, Nevada) – This effort involves upgrading and expanding three existing geothermal power plants by adding new wells, advanced heat exchangers, cooling fans, and a 15 MW solar photovoltaic field. These improvements aim to increase efficiency and boost output beyond the current 193 megawatts.
- Pinto Geothermal Project (near Denio, Nevada) – Ormat is evaluating geothermal potential on leased public lands through test drilling and exploration activities.
These proposed projects were determined to be in line the with DOI’s goals of accelerating the growth or reliable energy supply, thus supporting national defense and domestic energy resilience. The Bureau of Land Management will be completing its environmental assessment within 14 days to determine whether the proposed projects can move forwad.
Announced about a month ago, the emergency permitting procedures seek to accelerate the development of domestic energy resources and critical minerals in the US. The new permitting procedures will take a multi-year process down to just 28 days at most. By streamlining environmental reviews, the Department aims to accelerate geothermal projects that address urgent national security and energy needs while maintaining environmental stewardship.
“Geothermal energy is a reliable energy source that can power critical infrastructure for national security and help advance energy independence,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.
“By cutting red tape and advancing President Trump’s American Energy Dominance agenda, we’re fast-tracking reliable energy projects while strengthening national security and supporting American workers.”
Source: US Department of the Interior
