The Alaska Division of Oil and Gas has begun accepting bids for geothermal lease sale tracts on Augustine Island, the state’s Department of Natural Resources announced in a press release on April 3.

According to the release, about 55,771 acres of state-owned land on the northern half of the volcanic island, which lies in the lower Cook Inlet, are available. State-owned areas on the southern part of the island, which are under newly issued leases for geothermal prospecting, are not included in the sale.

The sale was opened because of “competitive interest” shown after an area exploration proposal was submitted in 2024.

“We hope to see additional interest in the prospective geothermal resources of this area,” Haley Paine, deputy director of the Division of Oil and Gas, said in the release. “Sustainable geothermal development could be a growing part of the energy portfolio for Alaskans if this exploration progresses.”

Prospective bidders can explore the sale at energynet.com.

Learn more about the leasing program at dog.dnr.alaska.gov/Services/Geothermal. Additional information about Alaska’s geothermal resources, published by the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, is also available at dggs.alaska.gov/energy/geothermal.html.