Earlier in June 2011, Ormat bagged supply and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts of worth $142m from Mighty River Power for the Ngatamariki plant.
The power plant features four air-cooled Ormat Energy Converters that are directly fed by a high temperature (380°F/193°C) geothermal fluid and allows 100% geothermal fluid reinjection with zero water consumption and low emissions.
The plant, which was completed in a record time of 24 months from the contract award, generated 150GWh of geothermal power during the commissioning phase.
Mighty River Power CEO Doug Heffernan said that the plant was completed on schedule and the company expects to generate additional 3MW, or 4% higher than the specified capacity.
"The new station would add close to 700GWh of annual electricity production, equivalent to the electricity use of about 80,000 households," added Heffernan.
The power station will expand Mighty River Power’s geothermal power generation to more than 40% of the total energy mix.
