"While this is a significant blow to the company, it may sound the death knell for the project," its lawyers wrote in their request to cut the 90-day order in half. Ormat said it has invested $68 million over 10 years to start construction early this year and meet a Dec. 31 deadline to begin selling power at rates above current market prices under a 2017 contract. They told U.S. District Judge Robert C. Jones on Jan. 10 the situation makes it "virtually impossible" to meet the deadline "critical to making the project economically feasible."