Veitur to drill exploration geothermal well at Akranes, Iceland
Akranes, Iceland (source: Veitur)
Carlo Cariaga
4 Feb 2026
Veitur will commence the drilling of an exploratory well at the Jaðarsbakki site later this year to potentially supply geothermal heating in Akranes, Iceland.
Utility company Veitur has set a target to start the drilling of an exploratory well in the town of Akranes in Iceland by the end of May or beginning of June this year. The exploratory drilling aims to find a geothermal resource that can be used for the heating system in Akranes.
Drilling had already been carried out in Akranes since the 1950s, clearly showing that a geothermal resource exists underneath the area. However, a borehole drilled previously to 1400 meters depth indicated a temperature of 140 °C, but no water was found.
Veitur has collaborated with Iceland GeoSurvey (ISOR) to determine sites where both heat and thermal water are likely to be found, resulting in the selection of two sites – at Skarðsbraut, and at Jaðarsbakki. Veitur has decided to start with a well at Jaðarsbakki, near the older blocks on Jaðarsbraut.
The project will be on public display from February 4th to March 4th and comments will be accepted through the Planning Portal. The topic of exploratory geothermal drilling had also been discussed at a prior residents’ meeting held in Akranes where Sólrún Kristjánsdóttir, Veitur’s CEO, updated the local community on the company’s operations in the peninsula.
Veitur maintains an active stream of exploration drilling activities across Iceland, with recent work reported in Reykir in Mosfellsbær to augment the heating supply to Reykjavik, as well as the drilling of a new well in the Hveragerði region. The company is also involved in the expansion of the capacity of the Hellisheidi geothermal power plant.
Source: Veitur
