Ormat Commissions 15MW Geothermal Plant in Nevada

Feb 08 , 2011 - BrighterEnergy.org

Geothermal power company Ormat Technologies said yesterday it has commissioned a 15MW facility in the north of its home state of Nevada.
The Reno-based firm said the Jersey Valley Plant was the only utility-scale geothermal power plant brought online in the US during 2010.

The facility is currently in commissioning, operating at partial load with final completion expected in the second quarter.

“We are proud with the accomplishments of this project,” said Yoram Bronicki, President and Chief Operating Officer of Ormat. “We were able to implement innovative power plant solutions and complete the construction a short time after all permits were granted.”

Located at the northern end of Dixie Valley, Jersey Valley rests along the Pershing-Lander County, Nevada line. Ormat’s power solutions are utilized in the plant design; this includes the Ormat Energy Converter (“OEC”), a power generation unit that converts low, medium and high temperature heat into electrical energy.

The electricity being produced is sold to NV Energy under a 20-year power purchase agreement.

Ormat’s financial position and financing capabilities enabled it to build this project with equity and corporate debt and plan to refinance it upon completion with DOE guarantee funds. This funding strategy shortened the development time and provided flexibility during construction, the company said.

“Advanced techniques and plentiful amounts of data, combined with a motivated team of skilled individuals and proven equipment brought this project to fruition,” Mr Bronicki said.

“In addition to providing a new source of renewable energy, the completion of the Jersey Valley project contributes to the success of the geothermal industry as a whole and will provide essential insights for future exploration and development efforts.”