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Hudson Ranch I first new Salton Sea geothermal plant in 20 years

mydesert.com -- Tapping the Earth for power, plant generates electricity for about 50,000 homes

CALIPATRIA — The dedication of a new geothermal power plant Friday in Imperial County could mark a new era in geothermal development at the Salton Sea — and economic development for the surrounding region.

The 49.9-megawatt Hudson Ranch I plant is the first of two such projects El Centro-based EnergySource has planned for the area, with still more to come, said company CEO Dave Watson, speaking to a crowd of about 300.
“Here at the Salton Sea, this is geothermal on steroids,” Watson said. “We have big ambitions for the area.”

“Hudson Ranch is a perfect example of what we need in this country to meet some very serious challenges,” retired Vice Admiral Dennis V. McGinn, president of the American Council

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Submitted May 19, 2012 By: aservant

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DanMtz Champion Author Oakland Posts:3,360 Points:1,244,300 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: May 20, 2012 11:21:11 AM Ignore DanMtz Report Abuse Geothermal plants are gold mines.
jrs4125 Champion Author Indiana Posts:2,763 Points:592,720 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: May 20, 2012 10:59:33 AM Ignore jrs4125 Report Abuse Geothermal good
LetemEatCake Champion Author Oklahoma City Posts:5,609 Points:1,206,455 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: May 20, 2012 8:46:04 AM Ignore LetemEatCake Report Abuse Wow! Good article....Good news for a depressed area! Thanks Aservant.
YumaFellow Champion Author Arizona Posts:1,295 Points:623,570 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: May 19, 2012 9:11:46 PM Ignore YumaFellow Report Abuse This area is one that could use an economic boost. The Salton Sea was an accident to begin with, created by a break in a Colorado River dyke more than a century ago. It continues to shrink from evaporation and has been impacted in previous years by agricultural run-off that has contributed to the growth of algae and the depletIon of the fish population. At one time, the Salton Sea was a big draw for people from Los Angeles, but it has been in decline for the past couple of decades. Incidentally, when one is in Calipatria, one is almost 250 below sea level!
PDQBlues Champion Author San Diego Posts:7,079 Points:1,449,300 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: May 19, 2012 8:06:42 PM Ignore PDQBlues Report Abuse There are geothermal plants along the southern portion of the Salton Sea, so more will help. It's a good place for a geothermal plant, directly along the San Andreas Fault line, which means plenty of sub-volcanic heat that's readily accessible.
YaBassa Champion Author Michigan Posts:2,435 Points:518,075 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: May 19, 2012 7:41:51 PM Ignore YaBassa Report Abuse I am surprised there are not more geothermal plants. [Edited by: YaBassa at 5/19/2012 8:43:30 PM EST]
tnfran Champion Author Arizona Posts:4,388 Points:844,140 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: May 19, 2012 5:42:40 PM Ignore tnfran Report Abuse Very good news.
ktbaeohana Champion Author Las Vegas Posts:2,311 Points:422,975 Joined:Mar 2010	Message Posted: May 19, 2012 4:23:32 PM Ignore ktbaeohana Report Abuse good luck. good news.
wamster Champion Author Houston Posts:4,261 Points:695,905 Joined:May 2007	Message Posted: May 19, 2012 2:24:43 PM Ignore wamster Report Abuse Oh my gosh! My husband helped get the plants online in the 1980's. We drove through a couple plants and he told me all about them. Now they need to concentrate on fresh clean water to continually refresh the Salton Sea. It's turned into a cesspool.
MidNJ Champion Author New Jersey Posts:7,559 Points:1,173,100 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: May 19, 2012 1:49:16 PM Ignore MidNJ Report Abuse It is projects like this that will end the fossil fuel monopoly on energy sources. When that happens prices of oil will come down. And that is what all the fossil fuel freaks are afraid of.
jimgraham Champion Author Akron Posts:10,377 Points:1,980,935 Joined:Oct 2007	Message Posted: May 19, 2012 1:20:14 PM Ignore jimgraham Report Abuse Are we creating more global warming? Bringing heat trapped in the earths core to the surface to warm our environment even more. - OR - Are we fostering global cooling? Bringing heat from the core to the surface where it can radiate into space?? Wait till the aliens find out we are ruining their environment! -OR- Making their environment more hospitable to their lifestyles? I can see all the lovers and haters out on this one. LOL
dave27johnson Champion Author Chicago Posts:1,790 Points:410,260 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: May 19, 2012 12:04:58 PM Ignore dave27johnson Report Abuse Build alternate energy sources and the price will go down.
johntxx Champion Author Texas Posts:2,789 Points:617,295 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: May 19, 2012 11:06:51 AM Ignore johntxx Report Abuse I didn't see a cost figure on how much the electricity for this facility is. The other article posted today on the manure to electricity plant sells at a 633% mark up. As Obama said, "electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket." Sorry, but I don't care to pay over 6 times what I pay now for electricity so I will be voting Nobama this November.
EricBrazil Champion Author Miami Posts:2,132 Points:472,250 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: May 19, 2012 9:53:12 AM Ignore EricBrazil Report Abuse Time will tell this time around...
200porter Champion Author Toronto Posts:2,070 Points:543,110 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: May 19, 2012 9:48:59 AM Ignore 200porter Report Abuse Need more of these
CVA19 Champion Author Salem Posts:2,393 Points:610,450 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: May 19, 2012 9:35:50 AM Ignore CVA19 Report Abuse The primary reason geothermal power production hasn't taken off in the Salton Sea and other areas is because it has been so expensive and time consuming to fight the lawsuits brought against them by environmental groups.
Ticobird Champion Author Huntsville Posts:3,236 Points:1,116,990 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: May 19, 2012 9:26:40 AM Ignore Ticobird Report Abuse Geothermal power is real although it is not as widely available as other renewable resources.
OTISFL Champion Author Pensacola Posts:4,615 Points:866,790 Joined:Apr 2009	Message Posted: May 19, 2012 9:18:52 AM Ignore OTISFL Report Abuse Highly doubt it.
fuel2use Champion Author Seattle Posts:3,493 Points:734,300 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: May 19, 2012 8:24:34 AM Ignore fuel2use Report Abuse I remember the oil companies running around in the early 70s looking at geothermal.
bills299 Champion Author Atlanta Posts:3,371 Points:905,465 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: May 19, 2012 8:22:03 AM Ignore bills299 Report Abuse no way
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:34,271 Points:2,372,345 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: May 19, 2012 7:42:55 AM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse till the earthquakes start