Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 20, § 1804 - Special Geothermal Definitions

In addition to the definitions contained in Section 1201 and unless otherwise indicated, the following definitions shall apply to this article.

(a) "Commercial quantities of a geothermal resource" means enough geothermal steam or hot water resources from a sufficient number of wells to support a reasonable conclusion that a proposed power plant will be able to achieve the applicant's estimated gross capacity over the life of the project.

(b) "Full-field environmental impact report" means an environmental impact report which considers in detail the impacts of the development of a geothermal field, as defined by the resource developer, including but not limited to the construction of well pads, the drilling and operation of geothermal wells, and the construction and operation of geothermal resource conveyance lines, and which generally considers the construction, operation, and maintenance of one or more geothermal power plants within such geothermal field.

(c) "Geothermal field" means the geographic area containing the wells that supply steam and/or hot water to one or more geothermal power plants proposed in a notice or application.

(d) "Geothermal power plant" means any thermal power plant, as defined under Section 25120 of the Public Resources Code, which uses geothermal resources as the principal energy source for the generation of electrical power.

(e) "Twelve month process" means the consideration, and the granting or denial of the certification, within 12 months from the filing of an application for a geothermal plant for which no notice is required pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 25540.2(a).

(f) "KGRA" means Known Geothermal Resource Area as defined by the United States Geological Survey.

(g) "Plant maturation period" means the initial break-in period for a geothermal power plant which includes the period from commencement of operation to the time required to achieve the anticipated capacity factor.

(h) "Reconnaissance survey" means a survey as defined by the Federal Power Commission in Archaeological and Historical Investigation for Energy Facilities: A State of the Art, 1977.

(i) "Resource conveyance line" means the pipelines that transport the steam and/or hot water from the well to the geothermal power plant or from the power plant to a holding pond for reinjection.

(j) "Thermal spring" means any natural or artificial spring outlet whose average temperature is at least 15° F above the mean annual temperature of the air at the same locality.

Notes

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 20, § 1804

1. Amendment filed 1-11-83; designated effective 2-1-83 pursuant to Government Code section 11346.2(d) (Register 83, No. 3).
2. Amendment filed 8-10-93; operative 9-9-93 (Register 93, No. 33).
3. Amendment of first paragraph filed 12-21-2015; operative 1-1-2016 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2015, No. 52).

Note: Authority cited: Sections 25218(e) and 25541.5, Public Resources Code. Reference: Sections 25540- 25540.4, Public Resources Code.

1. Amendment filed 1-11-83; designated effective 2-1-83 pursuant to Government Code section 11346.2(d) (Register 83, No. 3).
2. Amendment filed 8-10-93; operative 9-9-93 (Register 93, No. 33).
3. Amendment of first paragraph filed 12-21-2015; operative 1/1/2016 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2015, No. 52).