Turkey discovers its hottest geothermal well to date

Turkey’s Sanko Holding has discovered the country’s hottest geothermal well with access to a geothermal source, with temperatures reaching 308 degrees Celsius, according to an announcement from JESDER, the Turkish association of geothermal power plant developers.

“After a difficult and determined search, we learned with great pride that the hottest geothermal production well […] in Turkey, which reached 308°C, has been successfully discovered,” reads a Facebook post by JESDER.

Describing the discovery as a landmark achievement highlighting a strategic position of geothermal energy among renewable energy sources, the association congratulated everyone involved on what it called a giant step for Turkey’s energy future.

The well is a giant step for Turkey’s energy future

A geothermal resource reaching 341 degrees Celsius, at a depth of 3,845 meters, had previously been discovered in Turkey, but it never reached the production stage, according to media reports. Geothermal resources are considered suitable for investment if their temperatures range between 140 and 370 degrees, the Yeni Akit news website writes.

The temperatures in geothermal sources that can generate electricity vary between 103 and 295 degrees. The ones below are usually utilized for thermal spa tourism or heating, the Turkish media outlet added.

Turkey ranks fourth in the world in geothermal power capacity

Turkey’s geothermal power capacity is equivalent to that of the European Union and Iceland combined, making it fourth in the world in the field. It reached 1.73 GW in 2024, or about 1.5% of its overall power capacity, Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Abdullah Tancan revealed.

According to JESDER, geothermal power plants accounted for 3.2% of electricity output in Turkey last year, providing 11.2 TWh out of a total of 350 TWh.