Thousands of homes and businesses in Richmond are now receiving round-the-clock renewable electricity from geothermal energy, thanks to a new agreement between local energy provider MCE and energy producer Calpine Corporation that went live on June 1.
The deal brings 7 megawatts of continuous geothermal power from The Geysers — a massive 725-megawatt complex of geothermal plants in Lake and Sonoma counties — to MCE’s clean energy portfolio.
The newly added geothermal energy supplies enough electricity to power over 15,000 households annually in MCE’s service area, which includes Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, and Solano counties. Unlike solar or wind, geothermal power runs 24/7 and is especially valuable during evening hours when demand, costs, and emissions are at their peak.
This initial delivery is part of Calpine’s 25-megawatt North Geysers Incremental Development expansion. MCE is the first of two buyers to begin receiving energy from the project.
“Geothermal electricity is available continuously day and night, which is a major benefit when it comes to providing renewable, reliable power for our community,” said Dawn Weisz, MCE’s CEO. “It’s a key solution to meet the growing demand for electricity with stable rates while reducing pollution to keep our communities healthy.”
To further support the community, the agreement includes $50,000 in community benefit funds from Calpine to help expand access to clean energy technologies and job training programs in underserved areas, including Richmond.
“We continue to grow The Geysers project by drilling additional wells and building a new collection system,” said Gevan Reeves, Calpine’s VP of Origination. “MCE is purchasing the initial segment of our clean renewable power to meet the reliability needs of their customers.”
More information about MCE’s renewable energy sources can be found at mcecleanenergy.org/energy-sources