Nevada Geothermal Power: Faulkner 1 plant completion expected early October
Alexander Richter
19 Jun 2009
In a recent update, Nevada Geothermal Power provides details on the status of construction at its Blue Mountain Faulkner 1 geothermal power plant project. The plant is expected to produce power by early October, three months ahead of schedule.
As announced earlier this month by the company, Nevada Geothermal Power Inc. expects its Blue Mountain project “Faulkner 1” to start producing power three months ahead of schedule by early October this year.
In a recent update, the company provides details on the status of construction. “The development activities for the construction of the 49.5 MW gross/39.5 MW net Blue Mountain ‘Faulkner 1’ geothermal power plant are developing smoothly to the final stretch towards completion.”
Update of resource development at Blue Mountain: has completed six production wells capable of producing approximately 42 MW net of power. NGP has recently completed injection Well 61-22 bringing the total injection wells to four (58-15, 58A-15, 57-15 and 61-22). Wells 58-15 and 57-15 have been tested as high volume deep injectors (2000 – 3000 gallons per minute (gpm)). Well 58A-15 is a high volume shallow injector (greater than 3000 gpm) and Well 58B-15, currently being drilled, is expected to have similar injection capacity. The total injection capacity is sufficient to re-inject all the production fluids from the production wells.
“We are very pleased with the overall results of the production and injection wells and the well field including pipeline construction is nearing completion,” stated Brian Fairbank, President and CEO of Nevada Geothermal Power Inc.
Construction update for Blue Mountain ‘Faulkner 1’ geothermal power plant:
- Ormat is greater than 90% complete and has started system checks.
- Well pumps are being installed.
- Additional water licenses have been obtained for the cooling water allowing NGP to draw extra ground water to support the cooling system for the expanded geothermal power plant. Water well drilling and water pipeline construction is anticipated to be completed the first week of July.
- Water cooling tower construction is complete.
- Ormat’s transformer testing has been completed and has been shipped to the Blue Mountain site.
- Wilson Utility has completed the construction of the transmission line.
- NV Energy will complete the switchyard station by the end of June at the grid interconnection point north of Mill City and have planned system modifications as per the Large Generator Interconnection Agreement to allow connection to the grid.
- All personnel have been hired for the operation of the ‘Faulkner 1’ power plant and training has been underway for several months.
- Well field pipeline/gathering system is under construction and is expected to be completed July 2009.
- Microwave communication and local power distribution systems construction are underway.
NGP is on track to complete the 49.5 MW ‘Faulkner 1’ geothermal power plant and turn on the power by early October 2009.”
Source: Company announcement via Marketwire, eMediaWorld
