Plans for Taupo geothermal power station get boost

A company planning to build a $350 million geothermal power station near Taupo says it has found temperatures and pressure for geothermal energy production in the field are better than anticipated.

Geotherm Group said today it had carried out initial discharge tests of the first exploratory well for the station at a depth of 2031m.

Geotherm chairman of directors Alistair McLachlan said early indications from the well were "very exciting".

"This first deep well gives Geotherm the confidence to proceed with the planned 60MW geothermal power station," he said.

The project would take two years to develop, so could be ready for commission in November 2008.

Geotherm's plant was designed to reinject thermal fluid at depth to maintain a renewable geothermal resource indefinitely.

- NZPA