It was also sporadically operated as a base load power plant between 1989 and 1991, in 1998 and in 2003-2004 to mitigate low water conditions in the company's reservoirs.
Moreover, hydropower provides base load power critical to integrating greater amounts of intermittent renewable energy sources like wind and solar into the electricity grid.
But regardless of the uncertainty, the benefits of geothermal energy are significant -- a zero emissions electricity source that can provide base load power.