Magma Energy Announces Turbine Arrival for Next 50 MW Expansion in Iceland and Provides a Drilling Update
(All amounts in US dollars and all MW according to the Geothermal Reporting Code)
VANCOUVER, June 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Magma Energy Corp. (TSX: MXY) is pleased to provide an update at its 46.18% owned HS Orka's operations in Iceland. Magma expects to increase its stake in HS Orka to 98.53% by the end of July.
HS Orka recently took possession of a 50 MW Fuji Electric turbine generator for its Reykjanes power plant which currently produces 100 MW from twin Fuji units. HS Orka plans to expand Reykjanes output to 180 MW in 2 phases pending permitting and new power purchase agreements with power off-takers. A 50 MW (phase 1 expansion) is expected to come on-line in 2012. More than 15 MW of steam has already been drilled for this expansion project. An additional 30 MW phase (to bring output to 180MW) is scheduled for 2013 and requires no additional drilling as the feedstock is low pressure steam generated from current operations. In addition to these expansion projects, plans to develop additional resources to increase total production to 405 MW by 2016 is underway.
Drilling for additional power plant expansion capacity is underway. Well REY-29 is currently at a depth approaching 3,000 meters and has encountered temperatures exceeding 315 degrees C. Initially, this well was targeted to be a field reinjection well and was drilled at the edge of the known geothermal reservoir. It now appears that a new geothermal production area has been discovered adjacent to the 100 MW Reykjanes plant. Testing of the well will continue over the next several weeks and a reservoir estimate will be prepared for this potential resource.
The budget for the 50 MW expansion is $116 million, of which $32 million has already been spent as of May 31. The remaining cost for the expansion is expected to be funded from HS Orka's cash on hand and by debt financing.
Asgeir Margeirsson, Magma Iceland's CEO commented, "The teams at Magma Iceland and HS Orka are working well together on planning the new power projects in front of us. We are excited to see the new turbine at Reykjanes and very pleased with the encouraging results from our latest well."
Please visit the link, http://www.magmaenergycorp.com/s/Projects.asp, to view our photo and video gallery of HS Orka operations.
About Magma Energy Corp.
Magma Energy Corp. is a global geothermal power company which operates, develops, explores and acquires geothermal energy projects. We have an extensive portfolio of properties throughout the western United States, Iceland and Latin America, including one operating power plant in Nevada and an interest in two in Iceland.
About HS Orka
HS Orka is the largest privately owned energy company in Iceland producing 9% of the country's power needs. Installed geothermal power capacity is 175 MW from the Svartsengi and Reykjanes power plants. In addition, HS Orka generates 150 MW of thermal energy for district heating. Expansions are planned that will increase HS Orka's geothermal power production to 405 MW by 2016. HS Orka's 75 MW Svartsengi plant began production in 1977 and its 100 MW Reykjanes plant began production in 2006. Much of the power is sold under US dollar contracts to a large aluminum smelter that is one of the world's lowest cost aluminum producers.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INFORMATION
This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to future events or future performance, management's expectations regarding our growth, results of operations, revenues, requirements for capital, future demand for and prices of electricity, business prospects and opportunities, exploration and development, geothermal resources, recoverable geothermal energy or energy generation capacities. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management.
A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, may cause our actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. The forward-looking information is based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, including, but not limited to, assumptions about: the success and timely completion of planned exploration and expansion programs, the growth rate in net electricity consumption; support and demand for non-hydroelectric renewables; government initiatives to support the development of renewable energy generation; the accuracy of reserve estimation methodology and analysis used to estimate the quantity of potentially recoverable thermal energy; geological, geophysical, geochemical and other conditions at our properties; the reliability of technical data, including extrapolated temperature gradient, geophysical and geochemical surveys and geothermometer calculations; capital expenditure estimates; availability of capital to fund exploration, development and expansion programs; and general economic conditions. Forward-looking information and statements are also based upon the assumption that none of the identified risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information and statements will occur.
There can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Other than as required by applicable securities laws, we assume no obligation to update or revise such forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances.
SOURCE Magma Energy Corp.
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