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Commission approves conditional use permit for Road of Therm Energy's geothermal pilot project
Summary
The commission granted a C2 conditional use permit for a geothermal pilot project by Road of Therm Energy that proposes drilling a closed-loop system to generate 3.6 megawatts on federal and state lands near the county line; the applicant said drilling would begin in January.
Millard County commissioners approved a conditional use permit Oct. 25 for Road of Therm Energy to construct and operate a pilot geothermal energy facility in a section near the county line. The company described a closed-loop geothermal system designed to generate 3.6 megawatts without hydraulic fracturing or use of produced water.
Michael Dobbs of Road of Therm Energy said the pilot calls for drilling five wells on BLM and state-leased land, drilling vertically about two miles and then horizontally two miles in a closed loop; the company said it would expand if the pilot proves successful. Dobbs told the commission the system "does not frack and does not use water" and explained the system pumps refrigerant into the formation, which heats and then flashes to vapor to drive a turbo expander and generator.
Planning staff and the Planning Commission reviewed the project's potential impacts and recommended conditions to mitigate effects on roads, dust, public safety, emergency response coordination, noise, weed control, reclamation and financial assurance for reclamation. The conditional-use permit includes a road-maintenance agreement and requires coordination with county emergency services and bonding for reclamation. The applicant said construction would begin soon and planned to commence drilling Jan. 15. Commissioners voted to approve the C2 permit with the enumerated conditions.
