SANTA ROSA, Calif. – Calpine Corp. geothermal operations at The Geysers has marked a decade of recognition for safety and environmental stewardship by receiving its 10th Outstanding Lease and Facility Maintenance Award from the California Department of Conservation (DOC).

“We congratulate Calpine on its 10th consecutive annual lease award. The company has made a strong effort to keep all of its leases in The Geysers geothermal field maintained in a clean and orderly fashion,” said Elena Miller, State Oil & Gas Supervisor and head of the California Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources. “Care is taken to protect the environment, and safety is a priority on the leases as well. Calpine personnel are responsive to requests and work well with our staff.  This is a much-deserved award.”

The award was presented at the Aug. 16 Sonoma County Board of Supervisors meeting to Gevan Reeves, Calpine director of origination. The Sonoma County Supervisors passed and presented a resolution honoring Calpine’s commitment to safety and environmental excellence.

"On behalf of the Board of Supervisors, we congratulate Calpine on their 10th year of recognition by the Department of Conservation,” stated District 4 Supervisor Mike McGuire. “Northern Sonoma County is proud to be the home of the largest series of geothermal plants in the world."

The city of Santa Rosa also passed a Proclamation congratulating Calpine on this award for their environmental stewardship at The Geysers. Since 2003, the City of Santa Rosa has partnered with Calpine for the Santa Rosa Geysers Recharge Project.

This project, which has received worldwide recognition, is an innovative approach, using water to generate renewable energy.

To date, Calpine has accepted more than 33 billion gallons of tertiary treated wastewater from the City of Santa Rosa’s Subregional Treatment plant.

“I applaud Calpine’s dedicated employees at The Geysers for their exemplary track record of clean, safe lease management as reflected by receiving this honor once again,” said Mike Rogers, Calpine’s Senior Vice President of its Geothermal Region. “Geothermal energy is an inherently clean and reliable alternative for electric generation, and we put forth our best efforts to be good neighbors in the community.”

Examples of innovative programs at The Geysers that benefit the environment include recharge projects in which reclaimed wastewater from local municipalities is pumped into the underground geothermal resource. There the Earth’s heat converts it into steam for electricity production. This provides an environmentally sound wastewater discharge solution for neighboring cities and increases the long-term productivity of The Geysers resource.

Calpine Corporation is the nation’s largest renewable geothermal power producer. The company operates 15 geothermal power plants in The Geysers region of Northern California and is capable of generating up to 725 megawatts of green energy around the clock. Calpine’s operations at The Geysers accounts for about 20 percent of the green power (non-hydro) produced in California. Available every minute of every day and posing none of the grid integration challenges of other renewable resources, these plants are one reason Calpine is a generation ahead, today.

To learn more about The Geysers and about geothermal energy, visit the Cartwright Geothermal Visitors Center in Middletown, call 1-866-GEYSERS or visit www.geysers.com.