Geothermal pilot inaugurated in Kežmarok, Slovakia

Geothermal well in Kežmarok, Slovakia (source: Kežmarok official website)

The trial operations of a geothermal well has been officially inaugurated in the town of Kežmarok in eastern Slovakia. The 2.5-kilometer deep geothermal well drilled in the Juh estate has started supplying to nearby houses and apartments, potentially for up to 1500 households and the adjacent school and kindergartens.

“Just as it is advantageous for us to produce electricity in Slovakia, it is very important that we also look for other sources of energy self-sufficiency. Slovakia has great potential in the field of geothermal energy, and I am very glad that they were able to use it in Kežmark, for which the mayor should certainly be thanked,” said Minister Denisa Saková during the inauguration of the geothermal well.

Drilling of the geothermal well started in February 2022 and was completed by May of the same year. The city originally intended to start the project on its own, going as far as founding a company with a team of experts. However, there was a lack of money for the project. Financial support from banks or the state was also difficult to come by because of the there have not been any exploratory wells drilled prior in Kežmarok that can serve as guarantee for any financing.

Eventually, the city announced a business competition for the sale of the company. A private company thus carried out the drilling of the well at a cost of approximately EUR 3 million. After the testing of the well, the whole area around it will be revitalized with an outdoor exercise area, benches, bike racks, and information board on the importance of the project for the community.

“Our long-term effort in Kežmark, Enviromeste for 2019, is to minimize environmental pollution and to look for alternative ways of providing necessities necessary for life. Today, these also include the production of electricity and heat production. By implementing a geothermal well, the city acquired a renewable source of energy, which is used for heating and preparation of domestic hot water. We are among the TOP cities in Slovakia that have invested in the use of their own renewable resources, making us more independent from external sources,” said Ján Ferencák, Mayor of Kežmarok.

Source: Government of Kežmarok