Geothermal exploration permit application for Puna Geothermal Venture to conduct a controlled source audio magnetotelluric survey

Submitted to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, State of Hawaii."Thermal Power Company (Thermal), Operator for the Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV), herein submits an application for a Geothermal Exploration Permit to conduct a Controlled Source Audio Magnetotelluric (CSAMT) survey. This is an electrical resistivity-type geophysical survey which utilizes a truck-mounted generator and ground-surface transmitting wires to induce an electrical current into the ground to augment the earth's natural magnetotelluric signal. The enhanced signal is recorded at the measurement site with backpackable equipment . The survey is a transient operation with an expected duration of one month. Surface disturbance will be negligible and all field equipment will be removed except for a small permanent ground marker at each measurement site for future reference. The purpose of this geophysical survey is to obtain a more accurate and detailed knowledge of the geothermal reservoir underlying the PGV 25 MW Project located on the State of Hawaii R-2 geothermal mining lease. This will allow for a more effective wellfield development and utilization of this valuable Hawaiian resource. To accomplish this objective, measurements of the augmented magnetotelluric signal described above , must be taken over a region much greater than the principal area of interest (i.e., PGV 25 MW Project Area). This is required to provide background information to interpret the data from said project area, Figure 1 in the attached application shows the distribution of measurement sites, the location of the transmitter, land classification and the Kamaili and Kapoho geothermal subzones. The survey transmitter and eighty of one-hundred measurement sites lie within the Kamaili and Kapoho geothermal subzones, respectively."1 map : Scale 1:24,000 : grayscaleMap: CSAT station survey mapThe map shows the 25MW project area, the state mining lease R-2, the geothermal subzone monitor site, and the state land use district in Puna, Hawaii