PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT [Text Block]

NOTE 4 - PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

During the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company focused development activities on the San Emidio Phase II; Guatemala, Crescent Valley and WGP Geysers projects with development. Drilling and testing costs of approximately $665,000 were incurred on the San Emidio Phase II. Drilling costs exceeded $1,526,000 in Guatemala. Drilling costs of approximately $1,096,000 were incurred on the first production well at Crescent Valley. Costs were incurred at WGP Geysers for site preparation, an interconnection study and well field testing that totaled approximately $1,551,000. In September 2015, the Company disposed of the fully depreciated old power plant located in San Emidio, Nevada at its historical cost of $2,275,475. In November 2015, the Company purchased all of the long lead equipment for the construction of three binary geothermal power plants for $1.5 million.

During the year ended December, 2014, the Company engaged in development activities for San Emidio, Nevada and the Guatemala projects. Two new exploration wells for the San Emidio Phase II project were drilled, and one other well drilled in 2013 was placed into production during the year for approximately $2.03 million. A portion of the drilling and development costs were offset by grant proceeds of $632,210. The new production well was connected to the existing Phase I power plant and is producing fluid to the plant as part of a long term test of the South Zone reservoir. During the year, costs that exceeded $924,000 were incurred at Guatemala for the construction of nine temperature gradient wells.

On December 12, 2014, the Company completed an acquisition of Earth Power Resources Inc. After acquisition, the Company incurred approximately $133,000 on the drilling of a new production well (see note 15 for details).

Effective April 22, 2014, the Company acquired a group of companies (The Geysers, California) that included long-term assets that totaled $7.8 million (land of $1.6 million, wells and other construction in progress of $6.2 million). After acquisition, the Company incurred development costs of approximately $259,000 for design and study work for a new power plant, transmission line and well field (see note 15 for details).

Property, plant and equipment, at cost, are summarized as follows:

      December 31,  
      2015     2014  
  Land $ 3,074,052   $ 3,211,010  
  Power production plant   159,800,893     162,076,367  
  Grant proceeds for power plants   (52,965,236 )   (52,965,236 )
  Wells   67,621,167     67,621,167  
  Grant proceeds for wells   (3,464,555 )   (3,464,555 )
  Furniture and equipment   3,668,984     1,796,807  
      177,735,305     178,275,560  
             Less: accumulated depreciation   (31,021,494 )   (27,068,836 )
      146,713,811     151,206,724  
  Construction in progress   21,022,981     15,652,722  
               
    $ 167,736,792   $ 166,859,446  

Depreciation expense charged to plant operations and administrative costs for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, was $6,228,133 and $6,186,132 ; respectively.

Changes in construction in progress are summarized as follows:

      For the Year Ended December 31,  
      2015     2014  
  Beginning balances $ 15,652,722   $ 6,354,503  
       Development/construction   5,370,259     3,730,371  
       Grant reimbursements and rebates   -     (632,210 )
       Acquisitions   -     6,200,058  
  Ending balances $ 21,022,981   $ 15,652,722  

Constructions in Progress, at cost, consisting of the following projects/assets by location are as follows:

      December 31,  
      2015     2014  
  Raft River, Idaho:            
           Unit I, well improvements $ 105,160   $   -  
           Unit II, power plant, substation and transmission lines   750,493     750,493  
           Unit II, well construction   2,146,531     2,127,547  
      3,002,184     2,878,040  
  San Emidio, Nevada:            
           Unit II, power plant, substation and transmission lines   426,942     383,536  
           Unit II, well construction   3,798,563     3,133,873  
      4,225,505     3,517,409  
  Neal Hot Springs, Oregon:            
             Power plant and facilities   50,297     6,477  
             Well construction   314,360     -  
      364,657     6,477  
               
  WGP Geysers, California:            
         Power plant and facilities   325,989     319,988  
         Well construction   7,690,748     6,139,421  
      8,016,737     6,459,409  
  Crescent Valley, Nevada:            
         Well construction   1,228,888     133,058  
  El Ceibillo, Republic of Guatemala:            
         Well construction   4,176,510     2,649,829  
         Plant and facilities   8,500     8,500  
      4,185,010     2,658,329  
               
    $ 21,022,981   $ 15,652,722