NOTE 17 — INCOME TAXES

The Company’s effective tax rate for the three months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010 was 39.7% and 26.9%, respectively. The Company’s effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010 was 711.8% and 18.0%, respectively. The effective tax rate differs from the federal statutory rate of 35% for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 primarily due to: (i) the benefit of production tax credits for qualified power plants placed in service since 2005; (ii) lower tax rates in Israel; (iii) a tax credit and tax exemption related to the Company’s subsidiaries in Guatemala; and (iv) provision to return adjustments related to foreign activities.

The anticipated annual production tax credits (“PTCs”) associated with the Class B membership interest in OPC (see Note 8), an entity the Company is consolidating, had a significant impact on the Company’s expected overall annual tax benefit in 2010. During 2010, the Company was negotiating to sell such interest to a third party, which sale occurred in February 2011. Upon the sale of the Class B membership interest, the Company was no longer eligible to receive PTCs associated with the Class B membership interest. Due to uncertainties in the timing of selling its Class B membership interest and the significance of the PTCs to the Company’s overall tax benefit in 2010, the Company recognized in 2010 PTCs as they were earned rather than including forecasted PTCs in the annual effective tax rate estimate from continuing operations.

Realization of the U.S. deferred tax assets in the amount of approximately $18.1 million as of December 31, 2010 is dependent on generating sufficient taxable income prior to expiration of the U.S net operating loss carryforwards and U.S. tax credits. Although realization is not assured, management believes it is more likely than not that all of the deferred tax asset will be realized. The amount of the deferred tax asset considered realizable, however, could be reduced in the near term if estimates of future taxable income during the carryforward period are reduced.

The Company’s subsidiary, Ormat Systems Ltd. (“Ormat Systems”), received “Benefited Enterprise” status under Israel’s Law for Encouragement of Capital Investments, 1959 (the “Investment Law”), with respect to two of its investment programs. As a Benefited Enterprise, Ormat Systems was exempt from Israeli income taxes with respect to income derived from the first benefited investment for a period of two years beginning in 2004, and thereafter such income is subject to reduced Israeli income tax rates, which will not exceed 25% for an additional five years. Ormat Systems is also exempt from Israeli income taxes with respect to income derived from the second benefited investment for a period of two years beginning in 2007, and thereafter such income is subject to reduced Israeli income tax rates, which will not exceed 25% for an additional five years. These benefits are subject to certain conditions, including among other things, that all transactions between Ormat Systems and its affiliates are at arm’s length, and that the management and control of Ormat Systems will be from Israel during the entire period of the tax benefits. A change in control should be reported to the Israel Tax Authority in order to maintain the tax benefits. In January 2011, new legislation amending the Investment Law was enacted. Under the new legislation, a uniform rate of corporate tax would apply to all qualified income of certain industrial companies, as opposed to the current law’s incentives that are limited to income from a “Benefited Enterprise” during its benefits period. According to the amendment, the uniform tax rate applicable to the zone where the production facilities of Ormat Systems are located would be 15% in 2011 and 2012, 12.5% in 2013 and 2014, and 12% in 2015 and thereafter. Under the transitory provisions of the new legislation, Ormat Systems may opt to irrevocably comply with the new law while waiving benefits provided under the current law or continue to comply with the current law during the next years. Changing from the current law to the new law is permissible at any stage. Ormat Systems decided to irrevocably comply with the new law starting in 2011. As a result, the deferred taxes as of December 31, 2010 have been reduced by $0.5 million. This amount reduced the tax provision for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 by such amount.

A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amounts of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:


	Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2011			2010
	(Dollars in thousands)
Balance at beginning of period	$	5,431		$	4,931
Additions based on tax positions taken in prior years		190			717
Decrease for settlements with taxing authorities		(1,376	)		—

Balance at end of period	$	4,245		$	5,648