Wedoany.com Report-Jun 21, XGS Energy Inc. (XGS) and Meta Platforms Inc. (Meta) have entered into an agreement to develop a 150-megawatt geothermal power project in New Mexico. The project will be implemented in two phases, with a smaller initial stage followed by a larger second phase. Both stages are scheduled for completion by 2030.

Sign at Meta Headquarters in Menlo Park, California

Meta emphasized the role of reliable energy in supporting technological growth. Urvi Parekh, Global Head of Energy at Meta, stated: “Advances in AI require continued energy to support infrastructure development. With next-generation geothermal technologies like XGS ready for scale, geothermal can be a major player in supporting the advancement of technologies like AI as well as domestic data center development. We’re excited to partner with XGS to unlock a new category of energy supply for our operations in New Mexico.”

XGS Energy plans to apply its proprietary geothermal technology, which generates power without using water during operations. This system will supply clean, consistent power to the Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) electric grid, directly supporting Meta’s data center activities in the state. Josh Prueher, CEO of XGS Energy, said: “We’re pleased to support Meta’s ambitious AI objectives and accelerate access to new round-the-clock power supplies. More broadly, the state of New Mexico is a growing hub for data center development. We are eager to feed clean, water-independent geothermal power into the New Mexico market at a scale uniquely possible with XGS technology.”

The project coincides with the release of “The Future of Geothermal in New Mexico,” a report by Project InnerSpace. The report identifies more than 160 gigawatts of untapped geothermal energy potential across the state.

Don Tarry, President and CEO of PNM, welcomed the development: “We’re proud to support this innovative, carbon-free project from Meta and XGS Energy. This project is a meaningful step toward meeting New Mexico’s clean energy goals and demonstrates the power of advanced technology to shape our energy future.”

New Mexico Governor Lujan Grisham also acknowledged the state’s diverse energy portfolio. She noted: “New Mexico is not only the second-largest oil and gas producer in the U.S., but also one of the nation’s leading sources of clean energy. We’ve worked hard to ensure New Mexico remains at the forefront of the energy transition, and geothermal energy represents a promising new frontier. Project InnerSpace’s report outlines both the scale of New Mexico’s geothermal potential and practical steps to develop it. XGS Energy and Meta’s 150 MW project will create good-paying jobs, strengthen our grid with reliable baseload power, and position our state as a national leader in next-generation renewable energy.”

This initiative follows Meta’s 2024 agreement with Sage Geosystems to purchase power from another planned 150-MW geothermal facility in the Rocky Mountains region.