U.S. Geothermal Inc. has acquired a 95% stake in the 13-megawatt Raft River geothermal project in Idaho from Goldman Sachs for US$5.1 million.
U.S. Geothermal will receive 95% of the cash flow from the project on a going forward basis, along with all increased cash flow from any project improvements. The agreement includes an option to purchase the balance of Goldman’s interest for at the end of 2017.
The purchase price consisted of a US$3.5 million cash payment plus a promissory note of US$1.6 million that bears interest at 8%.
The Raft River Geothermal Power Plant is located in Southeast Idaho and has a designed capacity of 13MW. The project is currently operating at approximately 9.4MW. Power from the facility is sold under a firm price, 25-year contract with Idaho Power Company which allows for the full 13MW output.
“This agreement with Goldman Sachs is a strong positive for our company,” said Dennis Gilles, CEO of U.S. Geothermal. “It unlocks the ability to consider capital upgrades that should increase output from the facility and potentially reach its design capacity of 13 megawatts. It strengthens our commitment to becoming the North American leader in geothermal energy.”
