Governor of Nevada reflects on 30 year geothermal history in Nevada
Ormat's Desert Peak 2 geothermal power plant, Nevada (source: Ormat Technologies)
Alexander Richter
30 Sep 2015
Governor of the State of Nevada, Brian Sandoval extended his congratulations to the geothermal industry for its achievements in the proud 30 year history of geothermal development and operation in the State of Nevada.
At the recent GRC Annual Meeting in Reno, Nevada, Paul Thomsen the Director of the Nevada Governor’s Office of Energy presented a letter by Brian Sandoval, the Governor of the State of Nevada.
In his letter he congratulated the industry for its achievements, last but not least in his state, calling Nevada “the epicenter of the geothermal industry, not just in the United States, but in the world.”
Here his speech:
“The first geothermal power project was the Wabuska power plant in Lyon County, a 5.6 MW nameplate capacity facility commissioned in 1985. Currently, there are 25 facilities operating in Nevada. Some are located near Nevada urban centers, like the Steamboat geothermal complex in south Reno and the Stillwater hybrid plant outside Fallon. Others are located in our beautiful rural areas, including Soda Lake, Dixie Valley, and McGinness Hills.
The importance of geothermal power production in the State of Nevada is well known. The Silver State recently exceeded 30 years of geothermal power generation with 2014 production of 2.742 million net MWh. This is enough to power 247,000 Nevada households.
Production from these fields contributes to the renewable portfolio standard, making Nevada a leader in renewable energy innovation, production, and transmission. The construction and maintenance of these fields employs Nevada workers and attracts leading geothermal experts to the Silver State.
The companies that operate these facilities are well known in the geothermal world, and I offer my thanks to Brady Power Partners, Cyrq Energy, Enel Green Power, Gradient Resources, Homestretch Energy, NGP Blue Mountain, Ormat, Terra-Gen Power, and U.S. Geothermal Inc. for tapping into Nevada’s geothermal resources.
Congratulations to all for achieving this important and impressive milestone.”
As part of the speech, Paul Thomsen, on behalf of Governor Brian Sandoval, handed out two Certificates of recognition for the contribution to geothermal development in the State of Nevada to the Geothermal Resources Council (GRC) and the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA).
