new mexico's first geothermal power plant to be built in hidalgo county

NEW MEXICO PUBLIC REGULATION COMMISSIONCOMMISSIONERSDISTRICT 1 JASON MARKS, CHAIRMANDISTRICT 2 DAVID W. KINGDISTRICT 3 BEN R. LUJANDISTRICT 4 CAROL K. SLOANDISTRICT 5 SANDY JONES, VICE CHAIRMANFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 15, 20081120 Paseo de Peralta/P.O. Box 1269Santa Fe, NM 87504-1269Daniel Mayfield, Chief of Staff505.827.4433Paul R. CarbajalPublic Information OfficerOffice: 505.827.4446Cell: 505.699.7991Fax: 505.476.0324NEW MEXICO’S FIRST GEOTHERMAL POWERPLANT TO BE BUILT IN HIDALGO COUNTYCONSTRUCTION SITE IS KNOWN AS THE LIGHTING DOCK PROJECT ANDWILL BE BUILT NEAR LORDSBURGSANTA FE, N.M. – Raser Technologies will hold a groundbreaking ceremony in Hidalgo County that willbegin the initial phase of construction of New Mexico’s first commercial geothermal power plant (LightingDock Project) near the Lordsburg area. New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (NMPRC) Vice-Chairman Sandy Jones (Dist. 5) will attend the ceremony along with other local state, city and countygovernment leaders.The groundbreaking ceremony will take place Monday, August 18, 2008 at 11 a.m. at the construction site,22 miles southwest of Lordsburg, off New Mexico State Highway 338, south going towards Animas, NewMexico, exit Geothermal Road.The proposed $43 million Lighting Dock Project when completed in early 2009 will have an initial capacityof 10 megawatts, enough power to serve approximately 6,000 homes with final capacity expected between20-25 megawatts when the project is fully completed.The state’s first commercial geothermal plant will be a baseload renewable energy that produces no harmfulemissions into the atmosphere. Baseload is geothermal power that is produced 24 hours a day, 365 days ayear. Unlike wind or solar, geothermal can provide power non-stop to many areas of New Mexico oranywhere in the southwest. The heat of the earth is the energy source and is available for clean renewablepower production.New Mexico’s Lighting Dock Project is the second geothermal plant to be built in the country; the first wasthe Salt River Project near the Phoenix area which now serves as the third largest public utility in the nation.1 888 4 ASK PRCwww.nmprc.state.nm.usWorking for You!

“The Commission has long had an ongoing policy to encourage the state’s utility companies and consumersto use renewable energy as an alternate source of power,” said Jones. “By building this renewable energyplant in Hidalgo County, it will help further New Mexico as a leader in alternative energy. The Commissionmust also continue to develop and strengthen existing policies as well as increase renewable energythroughout our state. ”For more information, please contact the NMPRC Public Information Office at 505.827.4446 or by cellphone at 505.699.7991.Visit the NMPRC on the web at: www.nmprc.state.nm.us-30-1 888 4 ASK PRCwww.nmprc.state.nm.usWorking for You!