EXHIBIT 18

April 30, 2001

Board of Directors
Magma Power Company and wholly-owned subsidiaries
Salton Sea Funding Corporation
302 South 36th Street
Suite 400
Omaha, Nebraska  68131

Dear Members of the Board:

At your  request,  we have read the  description  included in Salton Sea Funding
Corporation's  (the "Company")  Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q to the Securities
and  Exchange  Commission  for the quarter  ended March 31,  2001,  of the facts
relating to the change in accounting by the Company's wholly-owned subsidiaries,
Salton Sea Brine  Processing  L.P.,  Salton Sea Power Generation L.P., Fish Lake
Power  LLC,  and  Salton  Sea  Power  L.L.C.  (collectively,   the  "Salton  Sea
Guarantors")  and CalEnergy  Operating  Corporation,  Vulcan Power Company,  San
Felipe  Energy  Company,  Conejo Energy  Company,  Niguel  Energy  Company,  VPC
Geothermal  LLC, and CE Turbo LLC combined  with  wholly-owned  subsidiaries  of
MidAmerican  Energy Holdings Company,  Salton Sea Minerals Corp., and Salton Sea
Inc.,  (collectively,  the "Partnership  Guarantors") for geothermal well rework
costs  to the  direct  expense  method,  from  the  Salton  Sea  Guarantors  and
Partnership  Guarantors former policy of deferral and amortization of geothermal
well rework costs over the estimated  period between  reworks ranging from 18 to
24  months.  We  believe,  on the  basis of the  facts so set  forth  and  other
information  furnished to us by appropriate  officials of the Company and Salton
Sea Guarantors and Partnership Guarantors,  that the accounting change described
in the Company's  Form 10-Q is to an  alternative  accounting  principle that is
preferable under the circumstances.

We have not audited any financial statements of the Company or of the Salton Sea
Guarantors  or the  Partnership  Guarantors  as of any  date or for  any  period
subsequent to December 31, 2000. Therefore,  we are unable to express, and we do
not express, an opinion on the facts set forth in the above-mentioned Form 10-Q,
on the  related  information  furnished  to us by  officials  of the Company and
Salton  Sea  Guarantors  and the  Partnership  Guarantors,  or on the  financial
position,  results of operations, or cash flows of the Company or the Salton Sea
Guarantors  or the  Partnership  Guarantors  as of any  date or for  any  period
subsequent to December 31, 2000.

Yours truly,


Deloitte & Touche LLP
Omaha, Nebraska