DOE buys geothermal plant in Wyoming
CASPER, WYOMING - The U.S. Energy Department has bought a geothermal plant north of Casper for an undisclosed amount.
Ormat Technologies, of Reno, Nev., built the test plant at the Teapot Dome oil field to prove the technical feasibility of using hot water associated with oil production to generate electricity.
The plant was designed to produce 250 kilowatts of electricity. It has been operating for over a year, providing electricity to operate the oil wells.
Officials say while the plant proves the technology's viability, more study is needed to see if it would work at other oil fields in the country.
The federal government plans to continue testing for another two years and collect more data related to long-term durability of the plant.
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N.L. premier says Muskrat Falls costs are too great for optimism about benefits
ST JOHNS - Newfoundland and Labrador's premier says the Muskrat Falls hydro megaproject is currently too much of a massive financial burden for him to be optimistic about its long-term potential.
"I am probably one of the most optimistic people in this room," Liberal Premier Dwight Ball told the inquiry into the project's runaway cost and scheduling issues.
"I believe the future is optimistic for Newfoundland Labrador, of course I do. But I'm not going to sit here today and say we have an optimistic future because of the Muskrat Falls project."
Ball, who was re-elected on May 16, has been critical of…
