[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 54 (Friday, April 16, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E575]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING PETER CARTWRIGHT AND THE CALPINE GEYSERS GEOTHERMAL FACILITY 
                        LAKE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 16, 2010

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Madam Speaker, on April 16th, 2010, 
Calpine's Geothermal Visitors Center in Middletown, California, will be 
dedicated as the Cartwright Geothermal Visitors Center, in honor of 
Calpine founder and pioneer Peter Cartwright. I am proud to rise today 
to recognize Peter Cartwright and thank him for his decades of 
ingenuity and service to the cause of renewable energy technology.
  Mr. Cartwright graduated from Princeton University with a B.S. in 
Geological Engineering and went on to receive his Masters in Civil 
Engineering from Columbia University. After serving in the Navy, he 
spent nearly 20 years at General Electric before founding Calpine in 
1984. Calpine has since grown to become one of the largest independent 
power companies in the United States and is North America's largest 
producer of clean, renewable geothermal power. The Calpine Geysers is a 
portfolio of 19 geothermal power plants which supply approximately 750 
kilowatts of reliable base load electricity to northern California's 
power grid.
  Mr. Cartwright is widely known for his vision, dedication and 
commitment to the energy industry, receiving more honors for his work 
than can be recited here. In 1999, he was awarded the Geothermal 
Pioneer Award by the Geothermal Resources Council. In 2000, he was 
named Man of the Year by the Power Association of Northern California 
and as one of the 100 most influential leaders in the gas and electric 
industry. In 2004, Scientific American named Mr. Cartwright Business 
Leader of the Year and Calpine was recognized as a Clean Air Champion 
by the New York League of Conservation Voters.
  Mr. Cartwright has also been very active in community and business 
organizations. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Sierra 
Club Foundation for years. He is also Symphony Chair of the Symphony 
Silicon Valley Governing Board. In the past, he served on the 
California Chamber of Commerce California Business Round Table as well 
as the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group. In addition, Mr. Cartwright 
was instrumental to Calpine's annual support of the American Lung 
Association's Asthma walks.
  Madam Speaker and colleagues, it is my distinct pleasure to recognize 
Peter Cartwright for his years of excellence and to congratulate him on 
this honor. I join his wife, June, his four children, two grandchildren 
and our colleagues in wishing him continued success and fulfillment.

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