The Regional Secretary for Tourism and Transport visited today the Terceira Geothermal Park, located in Pico Alto, where he attended the beginning of the assessment tests on the geothermal wells open there.

Speaking to journalists, Vítor Fraga stated that short-term trials will be conducted on three wells and a long-term trial on PA4 well; the latter "gives some assurance that it may be suitable for the construction of a three-megawatt geothermal plant."

"We will move forward with this process, always bearing in mind the possibility of increasing the power of this plant by 10 megawatts in the future," said the government official.

However, Vítor Fraga noted that "all these works lack of validation and analysis in scientific terms and this is what is being done now."

Questioned by journalists, the Regional Secretary clarified that what is being evaluated at this time is "the viability of continuing this project. If we have the available resources, we will move forward with the construction of the geothermal plant."

Should the project be considered not viable," the process of geothermal energy on Terceira is terminated" and "other alternatives in terms of renewable energy sources for this island" will have to be put under consideration.
 
Short-term trials on the PA2, PA3 and PA8 wells will end during the month of September. The long-term trial (six months) on the PA4 well is expected to start at the end of the month.

Vítor Fraga recalled that, before the end of this test phase, it is not possible "to obtain specific data on a decision to make about the future."