Contact Energy updates on geothermal activities and Te Mihi progress
Te Mihi geothermal power plant project, construction status November 2011 (source: Contact Energy)
Alexander Richter
29 Nov 2011
In a recent release, NZ energy company Contact Energy provides an update on current progress for its Te Mihi geothermal project, as well as further development plans for its geothermal activities in New Zealand.
In a recent release to the stock exchange, New Zealand’s Contact Energy provides an update on its geothermal activities.
The company’s new development, the Te Mihi geothermal power plant is part of a greater Wairakei Investment Programme. The programme includes the steamfield project, that incorporates the production of well connections for production wells, a new separation plant, new steam and two phase lines, reinjection line and pumps, reinjection well connection wells and a holding pond.
Part of the programme is also a bioreactor project that will help to achieve a required H2S reduction to discharges to the Waikato River from the Wairakei power stations.
The drilling project of the programme will include new production wells at Te Mihi and in the Western Bore Field at Wairakei, new reinjections wells at Karapiti and in Pihipi West, as well as maintenance of production and reinjection wells at existing Contact power stations.
The company provides also an update on the progress for the construction of the Te Mihi Power Plant, highlighting progress on foundations bein gin place, as well as the detailed design progressing.
For the future Contact Energy sees geothermal as a key ingredient for further growth and is looking at two new fields, that require partnerships with Maori land owners.
The fields looked at are Taheke, Tikitere, but also further development at the Wairakei/ Tauhara resource. The consented 250 MW development at Tauhara would include Wairakei A& B and a binary plant, Poihipi, Te Huka and Te Mihi.
The new Tauhara station would be 250 MW and be located to the northeast of Mount Tauhara.
But the company also has eyes on various other prospects for further geothermal development.
With overall 400 MW in the development pipeline, the company is one of the leading developers in the world today and it is quite exciting to follow the further development of Contact Energy and general development in New Zealand.
Source: Contact Energy Geothermal Update November 2011 (pdf)
