The Theistareykir Power Plant is the first geothermal power plant to be assessed under the new Geothermal Sustainability Assessment Protocol. The protocol was developed as a partnership project of Landsvirkjun, Reykjavik Energy, HS Orka and the Icelandic Environment Agency, with Sigurdur St. Arnalds of the engineering firm Mannvit as project manager. The project, which comprises a preliminary assessment of the preparatory phase of the plant, has been in preparation since this fall.
The assessment consists in a detailed review of 17 different topics relating to the preparations for the Theistareykir Power Plant, which are designed to provide an overview of how well the plant and its operations conform to international criteria on sustainable development. Examples of the categories assessed are communication and consultation, environmental and social management, labour and working conditions, geothermal resource utilisation and biodiversity.
Phase one of the two-phased 90 MW (2x45 MW) power project is scheduled to start operations in October 2017.