Geothermal firm Zanskar has revived a struggling power plant in New Mexico by drilling a deeper well, turning what looked like a failing site into one of the most productive pumped geothermal wells in the United States. The company bought the Lightning Dock plant in 2024 after its shallow wells suffered an unusually steep decline in heat output, and its recovery is being cited as evidence that old geothermal sites deserve fresh investment rather than abandonment, at a time when the long-overlooked sector is attracting renewed interest.

When Zanskar acquired the site, wells shallower than 2,500 feet had cooled by around 50°F to about 250°F, well below the 300°F needed to run the 15-megawatt plant that supplies New Mexico's largest utility, with heat being lost five to ten times faster than at typical wells. The company used artificial intelligence to model likely "hidden" geothermal potential and combined this with drilling technology adapted from the oil and gas industry, allowing it to drill a new 8,000-foot well 35% faster and at a competitive cost. After a full year of operation, that well has restored heat levels above their pre-decline point, though experts note that drilling deeper is costly and not every ageing well will offer the same economics.