Big Blind secured a federal lease to develop a geothermal plant, supported by prospecting information that indicated promising geological conditions. Following the acquisition of the lease, the company deployed large drill rigs in July and August, successfully reaching hot, permeable rock as anticipated.
The company’s next steps involve obtaining necessary permits to construct and connect the geothermal plant to the electrical grid, as well as securing investments for the project’s development. Ongoing site testing will take place, including long-term evaluations to monitor heat and water flow dynamics.
John McLennan, technical lead for resource management at Utah FORGE—an established geothermal energy research site funded by the U.S. Department of Energy—highlighted the need for effective methodologies to identify large-scale geothermal features and characterized the recent discovery as “promising.”
This discovery marks Big Blind’s first confirmed finding at a previously unexplored site, although the company has successfully employed its tools in other geothermal exploration efforts. Earlier in the year, it announced an additional discovery at a site that had seen prior exploration but remained undeveloped. Moreover, the company acquired and rejuvenated a geothermal power plant located in New Mexico.
Zanskar, the parent company of Big Blind, views this activity as potentially indicative of a broader trend in geothermal energy development. Edwards asserts that this could signal the beginning of increased identification of naturally occurring geothermal systems capable of generating sufficient heat to support power plants.
Source: https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/12/04/1128763/ai-geothermal-zanskar/