New Zealand about to push beyond 1 GW installed geothermal power generation capacity
Te Ahi o Maui geothermla plant, Kawerau, NZ (source: Eastland Group)
Alexander Richter
25 Sep 2018
With the new 25 MW Te Ahi O Maui geothermal power plant by Eastland Group in commissioning, New Zealand will push beyond the 1,000 MW (1 GW) threshold of geothermal power generation capacity, joining the 1 GW Geothermal Country Club.
During a recent visit to Indonesia meeting several New Zealanders, I heard that commissioning work had already started on the new Te Ahi O Maui geothermal power plant by Eastland. When this plant will start operations, it will push the country beyond the threshold of the 1 GW Geothermal Country Club.
Now, New Zealand Herald is reporting that Top Energy, another utility/ energy company has began testing of its first production well for a new geothermal power plant at Ngawha in the Far North of New Zealand.
There already is a 25 MW geothermal power plant on site, the new plant would add an additional 25 MW at the planned start of operation of the new plant by 2021.
As reported by the company, initial results from the testing are encouraging. Testing will continue on and off for several weeks.
With the Te Ahi O Maui geothermal plant by Eastland Group, New Zealand’s capacity will push to 1,005 MW, with the additional 25 MW planned at Ngawha pushing it to 1,030 MW by 2021.
Source: NZ Herald
