Geothermal Energy Under Newberry Volcano, Oregon

Tapping Volcanoes for Alternative Energy

Sep 10, 2009

In today's demand for alternative energy, the potential for geothermal electricity at Newberry Volcano seems promising, but will a viable hydrothermal source be found?

Located about 30 miles south of Bend, Oregon, USA. stands Newberry Volcano. Covering about 994 square miles in volume, it is one of the largest Quaternary shield volcanoes in the United States. Situated on a unique tectonic junction, Newberry is bordered on the west by the Cascade Volcanic Arc, the High Lava Plains to the north and east, and the Basin and Range Province to the south. It is surrounded by three intricate fault zones and is linked to about 400 cinder cones and vents throughout the region. Designated as a Volcanic National Monument in 1990, the volcano includes the Lava Butte cinder cone, the Lava River Cave and the Lava Cast Forest as part of the monument complex.

Geologic History Of Newberry Volcano

Newberry was formed around 600,000 years ago, and slowly grew through basaltic and andesitic eruptions. Its estimated height may have been about 10,000 feet before the summit collapsed to create the caldera. The caldera was created in a similar fashion to Crater Lake, as a large amount of lava erupted over a very short period of time causing the summit to collapse. The caldera contains two large lakes (Paulina Lake & East Lake), which are fed by hydrothermal springs and snowmelt. Beginning 7,000 years ago, eruptions of rhyolite lava within the caldera formed the Central Pumice Cone and the Interlake Obsidian Flow. A second eruption formed another flow near East Lake and the most recent eruption, around 600 AD created the Big Obsidian Flow. Newberry is generally considered to be part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, which is formed by the Cascadia Subduction Zone off the coast of Oregon. It lies however; about 50 miles east of the Cascades, leaving some geologists to speculate that it may be a hotspot. One recent hypothesis, suggests that Newberry may be part of an upper mantle plume that stretches west from under Yellowstone. Whatever its source, Newberry continues to generate geothermal energy.

Newberry Caldera’s Geothermal Potential

In 1988 the USGS published a 10-year study evaluating Newberry’s geothermal potential. Out of twenty drill sites, nine were tested for hydrothermal alteration mineralogy. The final conclusion was that geothermal development would be viable in most areas, particularly within the caldera. The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), under their own study estimated energy output to be around 16,000 megawatts. Development however, never got off the ground as environmental groups successfully lobbied Congress in 1990 to designate Newberry as a national monument. In 1994, the BPA did win approval for the Newberry Geothermal Pilot Project, which would allow for test drilling in the areas outside the monument’s boundaries. The BPA test site failed to locate a reservoir and the project was relocated to Glass Mountain in California.

The Newberry Geothermal Project

For over twenty years exploration at Newberry has been dormant. As the demand for energy in Oregon has increased, the cry for a renewable energy source has also increased. Newberry is one of the sites at the forefront for that source. In 2007 the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approved the Newberry Geothermal Project for Davenport Power. The project though, is not without controversy. In her 2008 article, “Is energy solution under Oregon volcano?” Gail Kinsey Hill from the Oregonian reported that Davenport plans to sell its projected 120 megawatts of electricity to California’s Pacific Gas & Electric, which has some of the local population pretty steamed. To date, Davenport has drilled two wells (10,060 ft. & 11,599 ft.) that have high temperature gradients, but have yet to display any water or steam. According to KOHD television in Bend, the Project plans to conduct surface surveys in the next year and is proposing to drill up to twelve small holes to record temperatures and observe passive-seismic activity. The project was estimated to be operational by 2010 and a Notice of Intent was submitted to the Oregon Department of Energy for a Siting Certificate last year. However, without a viable hydrothermal source for operation, Davenport may very well end up relocating to another site as BPA did twenty years ago.

Sammel, et al. “The Hydrothermal System at Newberry Volcano, Oregon”, Journal of Physical Research, Vol. 93, No. B9, (Sept-1988), 10,149-10,162

Humpreys, et al. “Beneath Yellowstone: Evaluating Plume and Nonplume Models Using Teleseismic Images of the Upper Mantle”, GSA Today, Vol. 10, No. 12, (Dec-2000)

Hill Kinsey, Gail. “Is energy solution under Oregon volcano?” The Oregonian, (May-2008)

The copyright of the article Geothermal Energy Under Newberry Volcano, Oregon in Volcanology is owned by David Katski. Permission to republish Geothermal Energy Under Newberry Volcano, Oregon in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.