At yesterday's Arizona Geothermal Working Group meeting in Tucson, the CEO for Navopache Electric Cooperative, Dennis Hughes, described their plans to build a geothermal power plant in the Nutrioso area of east central Arizona, capable of generating 50 MW of electricity. If successful, this would be the first geothermal power plant in Arizona.
Geothermal consultants are reviewing the area's potential now for the Co-op. A 1985 well found 174 degree water at a depth of about 4400 feet. Dennis says they will likely have to drill to about 9,000 feet to find sufficiently high temperatures. The Co-op has leased 6 sections in preparation of starting development. A transmission line passes right over the site.
Interesting. Did Dennis say TEP would be purchasing all 50MW?
ReplyDeleteI presume that Navoapache would use the power to supply its own customers but I don't know what their load is or what their arrangements are with the big utilities.
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