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Series Of Earthquakes Near Geysers In Calistoga

CALISTOGA (BCN) -- A U.S. Geological Survey is reporting a series of earthquakes of 2.0-magnitude or greater which struck near The Geysers Saturday morning.

At 1:29 a.m., a 2.7-magnitude quake struck three miles northeast of The Geysers, with a depth of 1.7 miles, according to the USGS.

A tremor of 2.1-magnitude struck at 1:53 a.m. two miles north of The Geysers, with a depth of 2 miles.

At 3:50 a.m., a 2.3-magnitude earthquake shook two miles north of The Geysers, with a depth of 1.2 miles, according to the USGS.

The Geysers is the largest single geothermal field in the world, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, and the region experiences constant seismic events between 0.5 and 3.0 on the Richter scale.

Deep-well injection at the site, which the Department of Energy said is necessary for the extended and sustained production of geothermal resources at the site, is believed to fuel the region's seismicity.

The largest event recorded in The Geysers field was a magnitude 4.6 quake in 1973, according to the Department of Energy.

There are 22 active geothermal plants in the region that produce roughly 950 megawatts of power, or enough for about 950,000 homes.

(Copyright 2011 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services may have contributed to this report.)

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