In a milestone clean energy investment, Las Vegas-based NV Energy is planning to build more than 1 GW of solar and 100 MW of battery storage in the state of Nevada.
Three of the solar projects will be located in northern Nevada, and three will be located in southern Nevada. The company will file its resource plan with the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) on June 1, requesting the approval of six 25-year power purchase agreements.
NV Energy’s CEO, Paul Caudill, claims the expansion, if approved by the PUCN, will be the largest single clean energy investment in Nevada’s history.
“The six new projects position NV Energy to keep its commitment to double renewable energy by 2023 and, importantly, by diversifying our state’s electricity generation portfolio, will reduce the costs to serve customers,” he says.
The projects also represent a step forward in NV Energy’s long-term goal of serving Nevada customers with 100% renewable energy, the company says.
“We calculate that the direct investment in Nevada’s economy, which includes the cost of construction, will be greater than $2 billion,” Caudill adds.
He notes that more than 1,700 construction workers will be needed and that the company required work-site labor agreements to be signed to ensure that union craftsmen will participate. Approximately 80 new long-term, permanent jobs will be created.
The six new solar energy projects and three related battery-energy storage resources are the result of a competitive solicitation initiated in January of this year. All projects are expected to be serving customers by the end of 2021.
The projects will be added to NV Energy’s current portfolio of geothermal, solar, hydro, wind and biomass projects – bringing the company’s total renewable energy portfolio to more than 3.2 GW in Nevada.
“Work on this resource planning effort began not long after the 2017 state legislative session ended and demonstrates that we are navigating the uncertainties in the current market, given Question 3 on the statewide ballot,” Caudill continues.
According to Ballotpedia, the passage of Question 3 would bring forth an “open, competitive retail electric energy market” by allowing energy customers to “choose their energy provider and generate their own for resale.” Caudill notes that NV Energy has the option to not proceed with the proposed renewable energy investment in the event Question 3 passes in order to avoid increasing liabilities and risks to NV Energy customers.
The six projects are as follows:
- Battle Mountain Solar Project – A 101 MW solar PV project located near Battle Mountain. It includes 25 MW of battery storage for a four-hour period and is being developed by Cypress Creek Renewables.
- Dodge Flat Solar Energy Center – A 200 MW solar PV project located east of Reno. It is being developed by NextEra Energy Resources LLC and will integrate 50 MW of battery energy storage for four hours.
- Fish Springs Ranch Solar Energy Center – A 100 MW solar PV project located north of Reno. It is being developed by NextEra Energy Resources LLC and will integrate 25 MW of battery energy storage for four hours.
- Eagle Shadow Mountain Solar Farm – A 300 MW solar PV project located north of Las Vegas on land owned by the Moapa Band of Paiutes. It is being developed by 8minutenergy Renewables.
- Copper Mountain Solar 5 – A 250 MW solar PV project in Eldorado Valley, just south of Boulder City. It is being developed by Sempra Renewables, a subsidiary of Sempra Energy.
- Techren Solar V – A 50 MW solar PV project in Eldorado Valley, just south of Boulder City. It is being developed by Techren Solar LLC and will be adjacent to Techren Solar I, II, III and IV, which currently are in the construction stage.
