Hydrothermal Energy Corp. v. United States

37 Cont. Cas. Fed. 76,306, 26 Cl. Ct. 7, 1992 U.S. Claims LEXIS 157, 1992 WL 77874
CourtUnited States Court of Claims
DecidedApril 17, 1992
DocketNo. 116-87C
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 37 Cont. Cas. Fed. 76,306 (Hydrothermal Energy Corp. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hydrothermal Energy Corp. v. United States, 37 Cont. Cas. Fed. 76,306, 26 Cl. Ct. 7, 1992 U.S. Claims LEXIS 157, 1992 WL 77874 (cc 1992).

Opinion

OPINION

ANDEWELT, Judge.

In this government contract action filed pursuant to the Contract Disputes Act, 41 U.S.C. § 601 et seq. (CDA), plaintiff, Hydrothermal Energy Corp. (HEC), a developer of geothermal energy resources, contracted with the United States Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a geothermal heating system in Reno, Nevada. DOE subsequently terminated the contract for the convenience of the government and asserted a right to control the geothermal wells and related licenses and permits associated with the project.

In the instant action, plaintiff seeks to recover funds to which it alleges it was entitled under the contract, including costs relating to defendant’s termination for convenience. Plaintiff also seeks a declaratory judgment that it is owner of the geothermal wells and related licenses and permits or, in the alternative, plaintiff seeks breach of contract damages for the loss of those wells and related rights. In response, defendant not only contests plaintiff’s claims to additional monies under the contract, but also counterclaims for the return of certain funds it has paid plaintiff under the contract. In addition, defendant contends that this court lacks jurisdiction to provide any declaratory relief with respect to ownership of the wells and related licenses and permits and, in any event, that defendant is the rightful owner of these assets.

I.

In April 1978, in an effort to promote the development of geothermal energy, DOE issued Program Opportunity Notice (“PON”) number EG-78-N-03-2047, entitled “Field Experiments for Direct Uses of Geothermal Energy.” The PON requested submission of proposals involving DOE financial support for projects demonstrating commercially viable uses of geothermal energy, such as heating and cooling for residential and commercial buildings.

[9]*9On July 14, 1978, in response to the PON, plaintiff, through its president, Dr. David J. Atkinson, submitted a proposal to use hot water from the Moana Known Geothermal Resource Area in Reno, Nevada, for space and water heating. This proposal led to the instant contract, which was entered approximately one year later, on June 25, 1979. The objective of the contract, as described in the original “Statement of Work,” was to “design, construct and successfully operate a geothermal heating system at the Sundance Apartment Complex in Reno, Nevada.” The site was later changed to Salem Plaza Condominiums, also in Reno. Inter alia, the contract required HEC to obtain the necessary water rights and construction permits to drill two wells.

As originally awarded, the contract provided funding for the first phase of the total project. The remaining tasks necessary to make the project operational were left open and were to be funded through future contract modifications by agreement of the parties. The total estimated cost of the first phase of the contract was $232,-339. Article III of the contract set forth a cost-sharing arrangement whereby the government would fund 97.78 percent of the total costs incurred, not to exceed $227,178, and HEC would fund the remaining 2.22 percent. The original period of performance ran from June 25, 1979, through April 21, 1980, with the parties having an option to extend the contract for additional periods.

The parties agreed to several contract modifications. The period of contract performance was extended, additional work was included, and funding was increased. Ultimately, the total “estimated cost” of the contract under Article III increased to $990,466 and the government’s proportionate share was reduced slightly, to 96.82 percent. As of the last modification prior to termination, the government’s maximum share increased to $958,969. In the modifications, the government allotted a total of $935,300 to the project.

Throughout the term of the contract, plaintiff regularly submitted project status reports to DOE and apprised it of plaintiff’s progress and costs allegedly incurred in connection with the various contract tasks. In a letter dated December 9, 1982, plaintiff informed the government that all but $133,929 of the original estimated cost had been expended and that, for a variety of reasons, an additional $375,518 over the estimated cost would be needed to complete the project. In telephone conversations on February 4 and February 8, 1983, DOE informed plaintiff that funding for the project was extremely short. In a February 15, 1983, letter, project manager Kenneth R. Zahora informed plaintiff that DOE was considering terminating the contract unless a new cost-sharing arrangement could be reached. Zahora advised plaintiff to submit any new cost-sharing proposal within the next two weeks. In response, plaintiff re-examined the costs and determined that all were necessary. Plaintiff then made numerous efforts to find additional private funds for the project.

On May 11, 1983, DOE issued Modification M009, which ordered plaintiff “to stop all work presently being performed under the contract.” In a letter dated October 11, 1983, the contracting officer notified plaintiff that the contract “is hereby terminated for the convenience of the Government” and instructed plaintiff to submit a settlement proposal.

Prior to the termination, plaintiff had billed $936,900 and had received payments of $924,693 from DOE under the contract. On October 4, 1984, plaintiff submitted a certified final settlement proposal seeking $611,587 for termination costs under the contract; this figure included the $12,207 amount previously billed but not yet paid for the period of contract performance. DOE audited both plaintiff’s entitlement to the funds it already had billed and its purported termination costs. On October 9, 1985, DOE issued its final audit of plaintiff’s billed costs for work performed prior to Modification M009. The audit concluded that of the $936,900 billed, $189,626 was unallowable and $502,249 was unsupported. Furthermore, DOE issued a separate audit on November 8, 1985, regarding plaintiff’s termination claim. This audit concluded [10]*10that $305,622 of the costs were unallowable and all remaining costs were unaudited because of inadequate documentation or other support.

On March 4, 1986, the contracting officer issued a final decision. The contracting officer denied plaintiffs termination settlement proposal in its entirety and concluded that plaintiff had been overpaid in the amount of $691,875 for work performed under the contract.. The contracting officer declared that DOE “has full right and title to the geothermal wells including the licenses and permits related to those wells.” On March 4, 1987, pursuant to 41 U.S.C. § 609, plaintiff filed the instant action seeking to recover damages and seeking a declaratory judgment regarding its ownership of the geothermal wells and related licenses and permits. In response, defendant filed a counterclaim seeking amounts it allegedly overpaid to plaintiff.

At trial, the parties disputed numerous factual and legal issues. Those issues can be divided into three groups. First, the parties disagree as to whether there was an applicable ceiling on the total payments due plaintiff under the contract, and if there was, the amount of that ceiling.

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Bluebook (online)
37 Cont. Cas. Fed. 76,306, 26 Cl. Ct. 7, 1992 U.S. Claims LEXIS 157, 1992 WL 77874, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hydrothermal-energy-corp-v-united-states-cc-1992.