_________________________________________________________________________________________ Ormat Technologies
which it operates , having first worked in the country more than 20 years ago . “ We ’ ve operated in Kenya for many years , and we ’ ve gradually increased capacity through phased developments ,” Elad elaborates . “ After our latest expansion was completed in 2018 , the plant ’ s capacity currently stands at 150 megawatts ( MW ). We ’ ve recently changed our drilling strategy in Kenya after consulting internally and with external experts , and we now have two specialist wells to enhance overall generation .
“ Although we ’ re focused on sustainable energy , we simultaneously prioritize working within the community ,” he adds . “ We maintain strong communication and hire local people as much as possible . We essentially provide power resources to each country we work in , but we like to think of ourselves as simply bringing the technology and the knowhow , as it takes community engagement and collaboration to successfully deliver and operate a project .”
Planned developments
The US is another significant geography for Ormat , particularly for geothermal projects as well as the company ’ s evolving BESS portfolio . “ We are currently the largest owner and operator of geothermal power plants in the US ,” Elad states . “ With plants in Southern California , Nevada , Oregon , and Utah , to name a few examples , we ’ re constantly expanding our geothermal presence through our inhouse research and development capabilities .
“ Alongside organic growth , we ’ ve taken advantage of some merger and acquisition activity in the US . Over the last few years , we ’ ve acquired several companies or assets including US Geothermal , the geothermal assets from Terra-Gen , and several power plants from Enel Green Power . For most
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