California IN BRIEF : NORTHERN CALIFORNIA : The Geysers Region Losing Its Steam

The world’s largest complex of natural geothermal electrical plants, clustered in Northern California’s The Geysers region, is running out of steam must faster than expected, according to energy experts. The area’s more than 30 plants were originally expected to produce enough electricity for 500,000 households and account for 38% of the world’s geothermal capacity. But steam pressure in the area has dropped below 200 pounds per square inch, less than half what it was when development began three decades ago. State Energy Commission Chairman Charles Imbrecht said the potential financial loss could reach into the hundreds of millions of dollars.