San Diego, CA… Today, Senator Ben Hueso (D-San Diego) Chair of the Senate Energy Utilities and Commerce Committee stated he is thrilled about President Obama’s announcement regarding the memorandum of understanding between The Department of Interior and the California Natural Resources Agency to mitigate the damage suffered by the Salton Sea.
“Addressing the challenges affecting the Salton Sea requires creative solutions and a collaborative effort, and today’s announcement proves that this issue is not just a local issue, but a national one,” said Senator Ben Hueso. “The restoration of the Salton Sea and the creation of its Taskforce has been a top priority for my office. I look forward to working with the State and Federal Government to work on this important issue.”
In addition, The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) has published a Request for Information (RFI) on identifying pathways for aggregating a power purchase between 100 and 250 MW of new geothermal energy from around the Salton Sea.
The Salton Sea represents one of the most abundant and underutilized sources of renewable energy in the state, including the most prolific geothermal capacity in the world. Geothermal power plants supply base load power, electricity that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The high reliability of geothermal technology compares favorably to conventional power plants.
In 2014, Senator Hueso introduced SB 1139, a bill that would have required the states independently operated utilities to purchase 500 megawatts of new geothermal energy. “I am glad to see that the federal government has recognized the important nexus between restoring the Salton Sea and purchasing renewable geothermal energy from this precious lake.” Hueso said. “Geothermal Energy from Imperial not only provides a vital renewable base load energy source, but also provides the opportunity for hundreds of good paying jobs in my district.”