Salt Lake mayor eyes geothermal power

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Mayor Ralph Becker has enlisted a geothermal power company to rate Salt Lake City's potential for generating renewable energy from heat stored in the earth.

One possible site is the Wasatch Warm Springs fault zone on the city's north end. But Raser Technologies Inc. says there are other hidden geothermal sites around the city.

Becker is pitching a geothermal plant as part of his wish list of projects for possible funding under President-elect Barack Obama's proposed economic stimulus package.

The Wasatch Warm Springs fluctuate between 100 and 108 degrees at the surface. That's not hot enough for technology that can extract energy from water at coffee-brewing temperature, or 165 degrees, but Raser says the water could be hotter deeper underground.)