New Zealand: Spudding Begins in May for 20 MW Te Ahi O Maui Geothermal Project

Te Ahi O Maui geothermal ready to drill (Gisborne Herald)

Geothermal plant will provide clean base-load energy and play role in meeting current and future energy needs.

Gisborne-based Eastland Group expects to encounter temperatures three times higher than the hottest surface temperature ever recorded on Earth when it drills into the Kawerau geothermal reservoir next month.

Following years of planning, the $100m Te Ahi O Maui geothermal project to build a 20 MW geothermal power plant 2.3km east of Kawerau is now ready to enter its first production well-drilling phase on land owned by the A8D Ahu Whenua Maori Trust.

Te Ahi O Maui project panager Ben Gibson said site works were under way to prepare the well pads and a well-drilling rig would be transported on site later this month.

A production well will start on May 10. The first stage of drilling, known as ‘‘spudding’’, will culminate in a 12cm-wide hole into the Kawerau geothermal reservoir.

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