Sierra Geothermal Power announces new director appointment

Alexander Richter 18 Dec 2009

In a release, Sierra Geothermal Power Corp. (TSX VENTURE:SRA) announced the appointment of Mr. Bryan Bertacchi, MBA, P.Eng, to its Board of Directors. Mr. Bertacchi replaces director Mr. Joel Ronne who voluntarily resigned from the Board on December 13, 2009. Mr. Ronne will continue to act as Sierra’s Chief Operating Officer.

Mr. Bertacchi has more than 25 years of experience in the power sector, including 10 years in the geothermal industry with Calpine Power Company. Mr. Bertacchi was Area Executive and Vice President for the Calpine Western Region and was Chief Operating Officer of Calpine Power Income Fund, at the time a Calgary-based, Toronto Stock Exchange-listed trust. Mr. Bertacchi has extensive experience in geothermal project development, geothermal plant operations and maintenance, working with elected officials, Original Equipment Manufacturers, engineering firms, Equipment Procurement Construct contractors, lenders and rating agencies and extensive experience within the California Market.

“Mr. Bertacchi is an excellent addition to our Board of Directors. His geothermal and technical background nicely complements the broad capabilities of our existing directors. Mr. Bertacchi experience will be extremely valuable as we move closer to becoming an independent power producer by 2012,” said Gary R. Thompson, President and CEO of Sierra Geothermal Power. “On behalf of the board, I want to personally thank Mr. Ronne for his years of service as a director of SGP and look forward to his continued contributions in his role as COO.”

Since 2008, Mr. Bertacchi has been the CEO of Danville, California-based Radback Energy Inc., a project development company specializing in conventional and renewable resources. Radback Energy was contracted by Pacific Gas and Electric Company of San Francisco to permit its new Humboldt Bay 163 MW power plant which is now under construction in California. Radback also has a contract with Pacific Gas and Electric Company to develop and construct a new 600 MW power plant in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Prior to his role as CEO of Radback Energy Inc., from 2005 to 2007 Mr. Bertacchi was employed directly by Pacific Gas and Electric Company and by Northern California Power Agency. His service as a Vice-President of California-based Calpine Power Company was from 1999 to 2005. In addition, from 2001 to 2005 he was concurrently the COO of Calgary-based Calpine Power Income Fund.

Mr. Bertacchi is a registered Professional Engineer (Mechanical) in the state of California. He completed his undergraduate studies in Electrical Engineering from California Polytechinic State University and graduated with a Master of Business Administration from Saint Mary’s University in 2005.

Mr. Bertacchi’s appointment is subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange.”

Source: Company release via Marketwire