Construction Begins on SRP Geothermal Purchase

EnergySource LLC announced in May that construction has begun on its new 49-megawatt (MW) geothermal power generation project located in the Imperial Valley of Southern California. Salt River Project (SRP) has signed a 30-year agreement to purchase the entire output of the facility when the Hudson Ranch 1 project becomes commercially operational in early 2012.

"Geothermal energy is an extremely valuable product and it greatly enhances our sustainable portfolio," said Mark Bonsall, SRP chief financial executive. "It is one of the only renewable-energy technologies that can provide energy for our customers around the clock."

A geothermal power plant produces clean electricity from naturally occurring geothermal steam. The steam is formed when production wells tap into superheated brine reservoirs thousands of feet beneath the Earth's surface.

Geothermal energy is considered to be a renewable-energy source because the hot brine flashed to steam to generate electricity is re-injected to maintain the productivity of the reservoir for long-term power production.

"It has been 20 years since the last stand-alone, high temperature flash-technology geothermal plant was built in this excellent resource area," said John Featherstone, senior vice president of Engineering and Operations at EnergySource. "We are excited to use all the lessons learned from the existing plants to make this a best-available-technology geothermal power plant. This plant design ensures very efficient water use, which is a critical attribute in the southwestern U.S."

Return to June 2010 Western Energy News

To sponsor Western Energy News, please contact WEI at 503 231-1994.