The Bureau of Land Management and the state of Nevada have granted Ormat the right to develop a 30 MWe plant in Pershing county in two phases. This is the second plant (Blue Mountain) to take advantage of the fast track program to develop geothermal resources in the state.

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The Bureau of Land Management Battle Mountain District recently approved a geothermal “fast-track” project for Ormat Technologies, allowing the company to begin construction on the Jersey Valley Project located in Pershing County, Nevada. The geothermal development will cover approximately 8,470 acres of land, of which 7,460 are managed by the BLM. When completed, the facility will include a 30-megawatt (MW) power plant, a geothermal well field, and a 120-kilowatt transmission line.

“The State of Nevada has positioned itself in the forefront in this Administration’s quest to develop a New Energy Frontier for Americans,” said Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. “This Jersey Valley project should be completed and producing clean energy in about six months, and I couldn’t be more pleased.”

The first phase of the development, for which the BLM’s Decision Record was signed on June 4, includes construction of a 15-MW plant. Commercial operation of the plant is expected to begin by late 2010. A second plant, providing additional generation capacity, may be built the following year. Ormat Technologies obtained a Power Purchase Agreement with Nevada Power Company in 2006 and began conducting geothermal exploration activities at Jersey Valley in 2007.