Cyrq Energy starts operation of Lightning Dock plant in New Mexico
Animas, New Mexico (source: flickr/ BAlvarius, creative commons)
Alexander Richter
15 Jan 2014
Cyrq Energy starts the Lightning Dock geothermal power plant Lightning Dock, the first geothermal power plant in the state of New Mexico in the U.S.
Reported today, geothermal developer Cyrq Energy started operation of the first geothermal power plant in the state of New Mexico in the U.S.
The Lightning Dock 4 MW binary power plant is a start for Cyrq Energy and hopefully for the state and is located near the city of Animas, New Mexico. The project was able to gain high-level political support since its inception in 2009, then called Raser Technologies Inc. That company declared bankruptcy in 2011 and later re-emerged as Cyrq Energy.
Not much details are available from the project, such as technology option etc. It is though a binary system utilizing geothermal brine at a temperature of 300 degrees F (or around 150 degrees Celsius) from a reservoir depth of 1,200 to 3,000 feet (400 to 1,000 meters).
With an investment cost of $43 million it seems to be quite expensive for a 4 MW plant. Chief Executive Nick Goodman, Gov. Susana Martinez and electricity provider Public Service Company of New Mexico are touting the project today as a way to diversify the state’s renewable energy resources.
We will follow up and try to gain better details for the project.
Source: Cyrq Energy, ABQ Journal
