Ormat Industries Ltd. (TASE: ORMT) unit Ormat Technologies Inc. (NYSE: ORA) has completed the 16-megawatt Don Campbell geothermal power plant in Mineral County, Nevada. The power station, formally called Wild Rose, was renamed for a late Ormat employee who identified the geothermal field. The power station will generate $13 million annual revenue for Ormat Technologies.
The power station is receiving a full rate of $99 per megawatt hour with no annual escalation under the terms of the Power Purchase Agreement with Southern California Public Power Authority, which resells the power to Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Burbank Water and Power. Ormat delivers the electricity to California over the NV Energy Inc. (NYSE: NVE) transmission grid, including the new One Nevada Transmission Line (ON Line), making Ormat the first independent power producer to use the line.
The Don Campbell geothermal power plant uses Ormat Energy Converter technology, allowing for cost-effective power generation from one of the lowest temperature geothermal resources ever deployed on a utility scale by Ormat. The power plant took nine months to build.
"Completing the Don Campbell geothermal power plant and reaching full capacity is a historical milestone in our continued partnership with Southern California Public Power Authority to bring reliable, renewable geothermal power to California's ratepayers. We commend NV Energy for their success in making statewide transmission in Nevada a possibility, thereby allowing resources in northern Nevada to serve customers not only in southern Nevada but also in southern California through ON Line's completion," said Ormat president and COO Yoram Bronicki
"Ormat's holistic approach to geothermal development, matching power plant design to the specific characteristics of the geothermal resource through rigorous exploration and field development, allowed our team of experts to work together to develop this successful project. The short construction timeline, followed by just one week of startup operation from initial synchronization to full power, is a testament to the quality of our products and our ability to execute on time and on budget."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on January 7, 2014
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2014