New contracts deliver enough geothermal electricity to power 195,000 Bay Area residents and businesses

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2023

Press Contact:
Jenna Tenney, Manager of Communications and Community Engagement
(925) 378-6747 | communications@mceCleanEnergy.org

SAN RAFAEL and CONCORD, Calif. — Geothermal energy is a reliable, around-the-clock source of electricity, making it an obvious choice for decarbonizing the electric grid.

The 134 megawatts of geothermal power will be added to MCE’s existing portfolio and provide power to 195,000 Bay Area electricity users a year. These contracts support MCE’s efforts to address California’s grid reliability through sustainable energy resources that reduce the need to rely on polluting fossil-fuels. Due to the 24/7 nature of geothermal energy, these contracts fill critical evening hours when power costs are high and emissions are the highest, helping reduce long-term costs for customers and reducing system emissions.

Scott Perkins, MCE Board Director, City of San Ramon Councilmember

“In addition to providing clean energy to California residents around the clock, the geothermal contracts include over $180,000 in community benefits packages from the project owners,” said Scott Perkins, MCE Board Director and City of San Ramon Councilmember. “We’re carefully considering the most effective use of these funds to support the development of an equitable clean energy future in underserved communities near the project sites or in MCE’s service area.”

The geothermal projects include:

  • Mayacma Project in Lake County, California online in 2024
    • 7 megawatts and $21,000 in community benefits
    • New state-of-the-art geothermal facility
  • Humboldt House Project in Pershing County, Nevada online in 2025
    • 20 megawatts and $60,000 in community benefits
    • Completely new build
  • The Geysers in Lake and Sonoma Counties, California incremental MWs online in 2027
    • 100 megawatts from the existing Geysers facilities and the addition of 7 new megawatts
    • 107 megawatts and $100,00 in community benefits.

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About MCE: MCE is a not-for-profit public agency and the preferred electricity provider for more than 580,000 customer accounts and 1.5 million residents and businesses across Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, and Solano counties. Setting the standard for clean energy in California since 2010, MCE leads with 100% renewable power at stable rates, delivering a 1200 MW peak load and significantly reducing greenhouse emissions and reinvesting millions in local programs. For more information about MCE, visit mceCleanEnergy.org, or follow us on your preferred social platform @mceCleanEnergy.

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