New Zealand identifies site in Rotokawa for first supercritical geothermal drillingCarlo Cariaga 10 Sep 2025The first supercritical geothermal exploration well in New Zealand will be drilled at a site within the Rotokawa Geothermal Reservoir in the Taupo Volcanic Zone. <a href='//ads.thinkgeoenergy.com/delivery/ck.php?n=a886266d&cb=0' target='_blank'><img src='//ads.thinkgeoenergy.com/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=144&cb=0&n=a886266d' border='0' alt='' /></a> <a href='//ads.thinkgeoenergy.com/delivery/ck.php?n=a62ebb80&cb=0' target='_blank'><img src='//ads.thinkgeoenergy.com/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=34&cb=0&n=a62ebb80' border='0' alt='' loading="lazy" /></a> <a href='//ads.thinkgeoenergy.com/delivery/ck.php?n=ada237ed&cb=0' target='_blank'><img src='//ads.thinkgeoenergy.com/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=10&cb=0&n=ada237ed' border='0' alt='' loading="lazy" /></a>A site within the Rotokawa Geothermal Reservoir in the Taupo Volcanic Zone has been selected for New Zealand’s first supercritical geothermal exploration well. An important stakeholder for this initiative is Tauhara North No.2 Trust, which is the guardian of the Rotokawa geothermal resources and have deep cultural and historical connection to the area. Thus, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Tauhara North No.2 Trust, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and Mercury NZ which operates the Rotokawa geothermal power station, to explore the potential of supercritical geothermal energy at the site. “This early-stage exploration could help prove the viability of supercritical geothermal energy, which has the potential to deliver several times the power output of conventional geothermal wells.