Mazama EMPOWER
Economic Mobilization: Partnered Opportunity, Workforce & Enterprise Readiness
Mazama EMPOWER is Mazama Energy’s economic development program designed to help local businesses and workers participate directly in superhot geothermal drilling and field operations – building durable in‑state capacity and long‑term economic benefits. Let’s build the future together.
Services Needed at Newberry
Site Preparation & Civil Works
Pad construction, road construction & maintenance, and cellar construction
Logistics, Equipment & Rentals
Equipment rentals, cranes & lifting, temporary offices, and vac tanker support.
Transportation & Materials Handling
Trucking & hauling, hotshot deliveries, winter access hauling, staging and warehousing
Utilities & Site Services
Water hauling, fuel supply & management, temporary power and site utilities
Join the Quest for SuperHot Rock at Newberry
Newberry Field Operations: A Multi‑Year Local Opportunity
Beginning in Q2 2026, Mazama plans a new phase of drilling and field operations at Newberry focused on additional high‑temperature wells. This phase is expected to involve sustained on‑site operations over multiple field seasons, including drilling, construction, logistics, utilities, equipment support, and environmental services.
Mazama EMPOWER is a structured economic development and engagement program designed to support local participation in geothermal development. EMPOWER clarifies needed service categories, communicates readiness expectations, and creates a practical pathway for qualified vendors to participate as opportunities arise.
Wells (2026 Campaign)
2026 Start
2026 Field Activities at Newberry
Project Athena - Observation Well
Project Athena is the observation well supporting Newberry field operations – built to monitor conditions and provide downhole data that informs drilling and longer‑term development planning for the world’s first SuperHot Rock enhanced geothermal system (SHR EGS).
Project Ceres - Injection and Production Doublet
Project Ceres is the injector–producer doublet supporting the FOAK SHR EGS commerical pilot phase of drilling and field operations at Newberry, helping validate the economics of enhanced geothermal systems and inform future development.
Beyond 2026 - Staged Development at Newberry
2026 launches staged development at Newberry: a 15+ MW commerical pilot enabling the first 200 MW project – within a site with 5+ GW potential, built for long‑duration operations, supplier development and a broader geothermal services hub over time.
Building On Over 50 Years of Scientific Research
Newberry Volcano has been extensively studied over the last 50 years. Prior drilling and geophysical surveys have well‑characterized the site, including Mazama’s technical pilot in 2025, which drilled and connected two geothermal wells, reaching 331°C (628°F) – the world’s hottest EGS to date. Newberry’s characterization shows superhot geothermal potential, with temperatures greater than 400°C (750°F).
Today, Mazama is applying new geothermal technologies and operational advances to responsibly develop this resource and deliver reliable, carbon‑free energy.
Let’s Build The Future of Oregon Together
Mazama Energy believes Newberry can become a world-class center for SuperHot Rock geothermal innovation and operations – and we want qualified local and regional service providers to be part of building that foundation. Through Mazama EMPOWER, Mazama engages vendors across the service categories needed to support geothermal drilling and site operations; interested businesses can participate by sharing capabilities and relevant qualifications so Mazama can align providers to upcoming scopes as appropriate, subject to safety, technical, and commercial requirements and standard procurement processes. Participation in Mazama EMPOWER is not a guarantee of contracted work, but it is a clear, practical pathway to compete and grow alongside a long-duration development effort at Newberry.
What is Mazama EMPOWER?
Mazama EMPOWER (Economic Mobilization: Partnered Opportunity, Workforce & Enterprise Readiness) is Mazama Energy’s economic development program designed to help local businesses participate directly in geothermal drilling and field operations at Newberry, and potentially beyond.
Mazama EMPOWER is about building long-term local capacity – so that as geothermal development expands, more of the work, skills, and economic benefit stay in the communities where projects are located. This isn’t just near-term contracting readiness; it’s a deliberate foundation for a first-of-its-kind SuperHot Rock commercialization pathway at Newberry, building on demonstrated high-temperature performance and extending into repeatable field operations over time.
As that trajectory scales, Mazama EMPOWER helps ensure the regional workforce and supplier base can scale with it – supporting Newberry’s evolution into a world-class SuperHot Rock geothermal hub and strengthening Oregon’s role as a world class center for future geothermal development.
Participation in Mazama EMPOWER does not guarantee contracted work, but it creates a clear pathway for local businesses to understand upcoming needs, readiness requirements, and how to engage with Mazama as opportunities arise.
What Mazama Will Do to Help Local Providers Participate
Mazama will actively support local providers in translating capability into job-ready qualification, with an emphasis on clear expectations, predictable onboarding, and safety alignment. This includes:
Clarifying requirements early – We will communicate expected service scopes, field conditions, and operational interfaces so providers can plan staffing, equipment, and compliance investments with confidence as the project evolves.
Providing Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), and permit-to-work guidance – Mazama maintains a Newberry Operations Permit to Work System and HSE Requirements framework that defines safety and environmental requirements for field operations. Mazama will guide providers in understanding these expectations as part of mobilization and site participation readiness.
Reducing “readiness friction” – Where local firms have strong operational capability but limited experience with energy-sector documentation, onboarding norms, or compliance workflows, Mazama will help bridge gaps by explaining what’s required, why it matters, and how to sequence readiness steps to avoid schedule delays.
Building durable in-state capacity – Mazama EMPOWER is designed to help businesses participate directly in field operations while building long-term local capacity and economic benefit as Newberry advances.
Certification / Qualification Readiness (How Providers Get “Site-Ready”)
Many Newberry service categories require providers to be capable of operating in a safety-critical industrial environment with time-sensitive execution windows. Mazama will support local providers by offering a straightforward readiness pathway that typically includes:
Baseline compliance alignment to Mazama’s Newberry field requirements (including applicable HSE expectations and permit-to-work practices).
Documentation readiness so vendors can respond quickly when scopes arise (e.g., safety plans, training records, insurance and licensing documentation, equipment inspection/maintenance records—exact requirements vary by scope). (Examples are illustrative; align to Mazama’s formal requirements during onboarding.)
Operational fit & sequencing, ensuring the provider’s services can integrate with drilling milestones and field logistics (often short-notice, intermittent-but-recurring needs across a multi-well program).
Bridging the Gaps: Practical Support for Local Businesses
Mazama’s goal is to ensure that “local” does not mean “left out” due to preventable barriers. Through EMPOWER, Mazama will:
Translate complex requirements into plain language so providers understand expectations without needing prior geothermal experience.
Identify capability matches between local businesses and the service categories required at Newberry, helping firms target the most realistic near-term entry points (and identify what additional readiness steps may unlock future scopes).
Promote continuity and learning across seasons, enabling local providers to build experience in phases – starting with achievable scopes and expanding over time as the project scales.
How Mazama EMPOWER Works (At a Glance)
1. Identify local services and service providers that can support drilling and field operations
2. Share information on upcoming service categories and expectations
3. Invite local businesses to share capabilities and qualifications
4. Align readiness (safety, equipment, staffing, documentation)
5. Compete scopes through standard procurement processes when work is available
Who Should Participate?
Mazama EMPOWER is intended for:
– Local and regional service providers
– Construction, logistics, and industrial service companies
– Businesses with experience in energy, drilling, construction, mining, or heavy industry
– Companies interested in expanding capabilities to support geothermal projects
– Workers and individuals interested in expanding knowledge and capabilities to support geothermal projects
What We Look For (At a High Level)
When opportunities arise, Mazama typically considers:
– Relevant experience and capabilities
– Commitment to safety and quality
– Availability of personnel and equipment
– Ability to meet geothermal project schedules – which can operate 24/7, 365 days of the year
– Readiness to work under standard commercial and regulatory requirements