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Northern Utah is getting ready to have something it's never had before - geothermal energy. The only problem is it's going to California.
A hole is being drilled in Box Elder County that will tap into the earth's natural resources, providing enough energy for thousands of homes. The land belongs to farmers, but the Shoshone Indian Nation leased the land. It's their traditional land, where in the past they relied on the earth for everything. Now the tribe is going to the earth again for help, and it looks like it's a big one.
It's just a little pipe in the ground, but it mean so much to so many.
Bruce Parry, tribal chairman of the Northwestern Shoshone, said, "I don't think any of us really realize how big it's going to be."
His tribe is drilling 11,000 feet down from a spot in Honeyville to get the geothermal power.
"We've been working on economic development for about four years now, and this is going to be our largest project to date," Parry said.
This project will generate a lot of money for the Shoshone tribe. They're estimating close to $300 million a year. "That'll be a big deal for us because we've never had money," Parry said.
The tribe is leasing the land from local farmers to tap into the earth's natural energy. Steam from deep below turns a turbine, which creates electricity. Already, the tribe has a 30-year contract with Riverside, Calif., to provide enough energy to power 70,000 homes.
Jon Warner, with the Northwestern Shoshone tribe, said, "We're generating something back from the land that is going to be renewable, and it's going to be used over and over again."
It's the first project of its kind in Northern Utah, and there could be enough left-over electricity to provide power to Utah. But more than that, for the Shoshone, it's a sense of no longer relying on a federal handout.
Patty Timbinboo-Badsen, with the Shoshone tribe, said, "I think the importance is that it's going to give the tribe a sense of independence, that we're doing something for ourselves."
Tribe member Michael Devine said, "The name of this project is Shoshone Renaissance. It's the renewal of the Shoshone."
It's a renewal even tribal leaders can't believe is happening. "I have told our counselors and members that anything you ever thought about wanting, we could probably do in a couple of years," Parry said.
That means better health care, housing, and education for the Shoshone tribe, all paid for by the tribe itself.
As for the land, farmers can even still farm on it. The project doesn't need a lot of space.
A groundbreaking ceremony is planned at the site tomorrow at noon.
E-mail: acabrero@ksl.com
