THE COSO MYSTIQUE: WHATS THE FUSS?

The Coso geothermal facility in eastern California was founded on the occurrence of a large subsurface thermal resource with resplendent surface manifestations, but early on, few who believed it was viable for power production. Dreamers played a large part in fabrication of a world-class geothermal resource from the lava, steam, and ash; you either believed there was something of value there or you believed it was a trivial occurrence of little consequence. Exploration began in the late 1970’s when a brash, somewhat opinionated, rebel geotechnical engineer who was employed by the U.S. Navy to make better rock-breaking bombs took an interest in the hot rocks at Coso. For the next few decades, Dr. Carl Austin used a booming voice, some snake oil salesmanship, dubious geological models, and a great big dream to launch what would become the third largest geothermal field in the U.S. At its peak, Coso generated 173 MW of clean power for California. Little did anyone know that Coso and the neighboring Indian Wells Valley would be the center of geological attention more than 30 years later with the advent of large (M6.4 & M7.1) earthquakes that ripped through the Indian Wells Valley to the edge of, and around, the geothermal area. Ironically, one of the only large installations at China Lake that was undamaged by the 2019 earthquakes was the Coso geothermal facilities themselves, built to withstand a M7.5 event because of its proximity to the Owens Lake 1872 M7.5 quake. Not only is it ironic, but it is also prophetic. The future looks even brighter for Coso than its already glowing history, with a thermal regime that could continue to produce clean power for centuries to come. Being located on the evolving PAC-NAM boundary is the reason for its existence in the first place, and is the basis for its full value going forward.