May 31, 2006—Sierra Pacific Resources and Ormat Technologies recently announced that they have signed a 20-year power purchase agreement for the sale of energy to be produced from Galena No. 3, a new geothermal power plant to be built in northern Nevada. Galena No. 3 is projected to come on line in 2008.
The Galena project will be integrated into Ormat’s existing Steamboat Geothermal Complex in Washoe County, Nevada. The new plant is expected to increase the total output supplied from the Steamboat complex to Sierra Pacific Power Company by 15-25 megawatts (MW), bringing the total output of the complex to approximately 90 MW.
The Galena No. 3 project will be an air-cooled binary power plant that re-injects 100 percent of all geothermal fluid produced, while consuming no water or chemicals. Additionally, as geothermal power works continuously, the Galena No. 3 plant will provide base load power 24/7. Ormat says that, when complete, the total output of the Steamboat complex will be sufficient to power 90,000 residences in the Reno-Sparks area.
This is the tenth such agreement between Ormat and Sierra Pacific. Ormat is also in negotiations on two additional geothermal projects with Sierra Pacific.
