Ormat Technologies of Reno has been awarded "fast-track" status by the Bureau of Land Management for construction of its 15 megawatt Jersey Valley geothermal project in Pershing County.
The Jersey Valley facility will produce a total of 30 megawatts once a second phase is completed and will include a 120-kilowatt transmission line. Power from the facility already is contracted to Nevada Energy.
Ormat began exploration on its Jersey Valley project in 2007. The plant is expected to come online later this year, with a second plant planned for the following year. The development will cover about 8,470 acres of land.
Fast-track status expedites BLM's environmental review and public participation processes.
Jersey Valley is BLM's second geothermal fast-track project in Nevada. Nevada Geothermal Power's 49.5 megawatt Blue Mountain geothermal plant in Humboldt County came online in October.
