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Jersey Valley project of Ormat sees BLM fast-track approval in Nevada

Jersey Valley project of Ormat sees BLM fast-track approval in Nevada Steamboat Springs plant of Ormat, Nevada - not directly related to story (source: Commons/ Wikimedia)
Alexander Richter 30 Oct 2010

The Jersey Valley project of Ormat Technologies, which will include a 30MW plant, well field and transmission line receives fast-track approval from the local BLM office in Nevada.

Reported from the U.S., “The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Battle Mountain District recently approved a geothermal “fast-track” project for Ormat Technologies, allowing the company to begin construction on the Jersey Valley Project in Pershing County.

The geothermal development will cover about 8,470 acres of land, of which 7,460 are managed by the BLM. When completed, the facility will include a 30-megawatt power plant, a geothermal well field and a 120-kilowatt transmission line.

“The State of Nevada has positioned itself in the forefront in this administration’s quest to develop a new energy frontier for Americans,” said Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. “This Jersey Valley project should be completed and producing clean energy in about six months and I couldn’t be more pleased.”

The first phase of the development includes construction of a 15-megawatt plant. Commercial operation of the plant is expected later this year. A second plant, providing additional generation capacity, could be built the following year. Ormat Technologies obtained a power purchase agreement with Nevada Power Co. in 2006 and began conducting geothermal exploration activities at Jersey Valley in 2007.

Jersey Valley is BLM’s second geothermal fast-track project in Nevada. The Blue Mountain plant, located in Humboldt County, came online in October 2009. The 49-and-a-half-megawatt plant encompasses a total of 11,120 acres, including 5,262 acres of public lands. Overall, Nevada has 11 geothermal plants, three of which are located on BLM-managed public lands, which produce more than 325 megawatts of electricity and power more than 200,000 homes in the state.

“This is an important step toward building our clean energy economy and helping meet the challenge of climate change,” said BLM Director Bob Abbey. “The Jersey Valley Project is another example of how we are taking steps that are good for the environment and good for the economy.”

BLM fast-track projects are those where the companies involved have demonstrated to the BLM that they have made sufficient progress to formally start the environmental review and public participation process.

These projects potentially could be cleared by December, thus making them eligible for economic stimulus funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. There are 34 national fast-track projects. Of these, 14 are solar, seven are wind, six are geothermal and seven are transmission lines.”

Source: Daily Sparks Tribune