Geothermal resource at Neuquen, Argentina to be explored

Domuyo, Neuquén, Argentina (source: Angel Valdez / flickr, Creative Commons)

Social and environmental studies are currently ongoing in the province of Neuquén in Argentina in preparation of a potential geothermal project. If results are favorable, the plan is to install a 5-MW pilot plant at the foot of the Domuyo volcano near Aguas Calientes.

The studies are being headed by the Neuquén Investment Agency (ADI NQN), the province’s investment promotion agency that also has interests in hydroelectric, solar power, and bioenergy. The preparatory studies are expected to take about a year and will be financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The IDB will also be financing drilling in the project, and additional funding has been requested for the electrical infrastructure. The total investment needed will be approximately USD 35 million.

The second phase of the project will involve increasing the installed capacity to 90 to 100 MW on a modular basis. Power from the pilot plant can be sold to local power utility Epen, while the output from the second phase can be sold to Cammesa or the Comisión Nacional de Energía (CNE), the national energy commission of Chile.

Earlier this year, we reported on a meeting between local officials of the province of Catamarca in Argentina and representatives from Australian lithium brine company Lake Resources. The meeting was to discuss the possibilities of exploiting geothermal resources in Catamarca both for power production and lithium recovery.

Source: Energia Estrategica and BNAmericas