New studies ongoing to reactivate the geothermal sector of Guatemala
Zunil geothermal plant, Guatemala (source: Ormat)
Carlo Cariaga
16 Apr 2026
With new studies, projects under development, and potential funding from the World Bank, Guatemala aims to restart progress of its local geothermal sector.
Guatemala is making progress in reactivating its geothermal sector by planning new projects and carrying out technical studies in different areas of the country, with the participation of multilateral organizations and state entities.
The National Electrification Institute (INDE), the state-owned entity responsible for power generation and distribution, continues to lead the development of these geothermal resources, including initiatives aimed at rural electrification.
Areas with potential and existing development
The country has five identified areas with geothermal potential, located mainly along the Pacific volcanic belt, in the departments of San Marcos, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, and Santa Rosa.
Currently, two fields show partial development:
- Zunil, in Quetzaltenango
- San José Calderas, in the department of Guatemala
These fields have been granted to international private companies that operate the projects, while INDE retains ownership of the reservoirs.
In parallel, new geothermal developments are in the planning or development stage, including Tecuamburro, in the department of Santa Rosa and Moyuta, in the south of the same department. These projects are part of the portfolio of initiatives considered to expand electricity generation capacity in the medium term.
International funding support
The World Bank plants to provide a grant for further studies in the priority areas, including geological studies, geochemical analyses, and LiDAR surveys. These studies will complement assessments previously conducted by Japanese companies. In parallel, INDE is funding geophysical studies, including magnetotelluric (MT) surveys, to improve the characterization of geothermal systems.
Additionally, the World Bank is considering structuring financing to support the development of generation infrastructure in these areas.
Geothermal development in Guatemala has seen limited progress in previous years. With the current efforts of INDE to conduct new technical studies and evaluate projects, the geothermal sector may soon be reactivated depending on exploration results and investment conditions.
Source: Email correspondence via our Spanish language platform PiensaGeotermia
