Operation and Maintenance Strategies for Geothermal Power Plants : ESMAP Technical Report

Overview & Synopsis

At the end of 2025, installed global geothermal power generation capacity reached 17,173 megawatts (MW), the outcome of more than a century of commercial development across more than 30 countries. As new projects in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and Latin America advance alongside established markets, operation and maintenance (O&M) have become central determinants of whether these plants will deliver on their economic, environmental, and energy security potential. This handbook, produced by the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), draws on desk research, structured interviews with practitioners and experts, and a questionnaire-based survey. It is intended primarily for stakeholders overseeing geothermal energy programs and projects and, more broadly, for energy policy makers and decision-makers. Its central finding is that effective O&M, when integrated from the earliest project stages and managed through a structured, site-specific strategy, is among the most cost-effective ways to extend plant life, minimize unplanned outages, reduce life-cycle O&M costs, and sustain the long-term productivity of a geothermal resource.