Gradient Resources, a geothermal projects developing company, declared that it has contracted engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) accord with Benham Constructors, a fully owned design-build auxiliary company of Science Applications International (SAIC), for providing a modular binary cycle power plant with 60 MW net capability for the Northern Nevada located Patua geothermal project.
TAS Energy, a Houston, Texas-based company, is engaged as the technology partner for the project.
The Patua site located near Fernley, NV, is the first geothermal power plant for Gradient. Ground boring at the Patua site re-started in February 2010. The physical construction of the first phase of the plant with 60 MW power production capability is anticipated to commence during the second quarter of 2011. The plant is expected to commence its commercial power production process from the third quarter of 2012.
According to Craig Mataczynski, Gradient’s CEO, the partaking of his company along with TAS and SAIC will assist in making the project productive and in turn will sustain the growth of the geothermal industry.