The City of Santa Rosa and Calpine Corporation have received City Council approval to expand The Geysers Recharge Project.
The Geysers Recharge Project is the world's largest recycled water-to-electricity program.
The new expansion will advance Calpine's recently announced program to increase renewable geothermal energy production at The Geysers and represents a win-win opportunity for Calpine and the City of Santa Rosa. Initially, Calpine will inject into The Geysers resource an additional 1.62 million gallons per day of recycled water from Santa Rosa to increase its geothermal energy production by up to 11 megawatts. For the City of Santa Rosa, the expansion will provide an environmentally and economically preferred alternative for the City's recycled water discharge and is expected to provide nearly $200 million of cost savings for the City's wastewater system.
The Geysers Recharge Project entered operation in 2003 and currently transports 11 million gallons per day of recycled water to Calpine's Geysers geothermal operations. After arriving at The Geysers the recycled water is injected between 1.5 to 2 miles deep into the geothermal resource where naturally occurring hot rock heats the water into steam to fuel Calpine's geothermal power plants. To-date, the recycled water injection has increased geothermal energy production by up to 85 megawatts and has allowed the City of Santa Rosa to dispose of more than 15 billion gallons of recycled water.
City of Santa Rosa Mayor Bob Blanchard stated, "This is another win-win for Calpine, for the City and our ratepayers. How can we get any more environmentally sustainable than to reuse our treated wastewater to help create electricity? We are very pleased to once again partner with Calpine in this unique venture.
The recent announcement is part of Calpine's five-year, $200 million green power program designed to increase electricity production at The Geysers geothermal resource.
Calpine Chief Executive Officer Robert P. May states, "Calpine is proud to be California's largest renewable power provider. Our dedicated and visionary geothermal energy experts continue to pioneer innovative programs to increase renewable energy production at The Geysers. The Geysers Recharge Project expansion is a key part of Calpine's renewable energy program, made possible by the long-time support of the City of Santa Rosa and this very successful private/public partnership."
Calpine anticipates the U.S. Bankruptcy Court will review the proposed agreement at the company's September 2007 hearing.