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Written by John Egan for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Nevada utility regulators in late December green-lighted six solar power projects totaling 1,001 megawatts (MW) and representing more than $2 billion in total investment value (TIV). Electricity from the facilities will be sold to NV Energy Incorporated (Las Vegas, Nevada) under long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs). These projects include 100 MW of battery energy storage.
Three of the solar projects will be located in northern Nevada, and three will be located in southern Nevada. All projects are expected to be completed and serving customers by the end of 2021, the utility said.
"Earlier this year we made a promise to our customers that we would double our renewable energy by 2023, and today's decision puts us closer to reaching that goal, as well as to our long-term commitment to serve them with 100% renewable energy," said Doug Cannon, president of NV Energy, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A) (Omaha, Nebraska). "These six new projects, which represent the largest renewable energy investment in Nevada's history, also will bring great economic benefits to our state."
When completed, the projects will bring NV Energy's renewable energy portfolio to about 3,000 MW. The solar PPAs reportedly will more than double the proportion of electricity in NV Energy's portfolio that comes from renewable sources, to about 32% in 2023 from about 14% in 2017. The utility also has other operating solar plants, as well as several dozen geothermal, hydro, wind, biomass and rooftop solar projects operating in Nevada.
The solar projects include:
North Valmy 1 and 2 are the last two coal-fired units operating in Nevada. The early closure is conditioned on the six solar projects becoming operational according to schedule.
Aside from the six solar project PPAs that were approved by the Public Service Commission of Nevada (Reno, Nevada) shortly before last Christmas, NV Energy is currently assessing bids for at least 350 MW of renewable energy that were due December 10, in response to a bid issued in October 2018. In that bid, the utility said it was seeking Nevada-built solar, geothermal, wind, biomass and biogas technology projects that comply with Nevada's existing renewable portfolio standard.
In January, NV Energy issued yet another bid, this one for 400 MW to 600 MW of long-term firm capacity and energy resources beginning in the summer of 2020. The utility will consider conventional and renewable energy resources that could involve an asset acquisition, tolling agreement or toll with a purchase option. Bids were due February 11. Through its two subsidiaries, Sierra Pacific Power (Reno, Nevada) and Nevada Power Company (Las Vegas, Nevada), NV Energy serves about 1.4 million customers in Nevada.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn. For more information on our coverage, send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.com or visit us online at http://www.industrialinfo.com.
Three of the solar projects will be located in northern Nevada, and three will be located in southern Nevada. All projects are expected to be completed and serving customers by the end of 2021, the utility said.
"Earlier this year we made a promise to our customers that we would double our renewable energy by 2023, and today's decision puts us closer to reaching that goal, as well as to our long-term commitment to serve them with 100% renewable energy," said Doug Cannon, president of NV Energy, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A) (Omaha, Nebraska). "These six new projects, which represent the largest renewable energy investment in Nevada's history, also will bring great economic benefits to our state."
When completed, the projects will bring NV Energy's renewable energy portfolio to about 3,000 MW. The solar PPAs reportedly will more than double the proportion of electricity in NV Energy's portfolio that comes from renewable sources, to about 32% in 2023 from about 14% in 2017. The utility also has other operating solar plants, as well as several dozen geothermal, hydro, wind, biomass and rooftop solar projects operating in Nevada.
The solar projects include:
- Eagle Shadow Mountain Solar Farm, a 300-MW, $650 million project scheduled to be built north of Las Vegas on land owned by the Moapa Band of Paiutes. The developer is 8minutenergy Renewables LLC (Los Angeles, California). Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-2020, and the facility is scheduled to be operating by yearend 2021. During the third quarter of this year, the developer plans to issue a request for proposal (RFP) for an engineering, procurement & construction (EPC) firm. See Industrial Info's project report.
- Copper Mountain Solar 5, a 250-MW, $500 million project to be constructed near Boulder City, Nevada. The project is being developed by a subsidiary of Consolidated Edison Incorporated (NYSE:ED) (New York, New York). Plans call for construction to begin during the second quarter of 2020, and for the facility to begin generating electricity by early 2021. An RFP for a general contractor is expected to be released during the third quarter of 2019. See project report.
- Dodge Flat Solar Energy Center, a $400 million, 200-MW project located east of Reno. The developer is NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, a unit of NextEra Energy Incorporated (NYSE:NEE) (Juno Beach, Florida). This facility will include 50 MW of four-hour battery energy storage. This July, NextEra Energy Resources plans to issue an RFP for a general contractor. See project report.
- Battle Mountain Solar Project, a 101-MW photovoltaic project to be built near Battle Mountain, Nevada. This project will include 25 MW of four-hour battery energy storage. The developer is Cypress Creek Renewables.
- Fish Springs Ranch Solar Energy Center, a 100-MW, $200 million photovoltaic project that will be built north of Reno. This project also will include 25 MW of four-hour energy storage. NextEra Energy Resources also is developing this project. NextEra expects to release requests for qualification (RFQs) and bid documents for equipment, consumables and specialty contractors in early 2020. The developer has scheduled construction to begin during the second quarter of 2020, with an in-service date of yearend 2020. See project report.
- Techren Solar V, a 50-MW, $100 million project is slated to be built near Boulder City. Under development by Techren Solar LLC (Pasadena, California), dirt is expected to be turned in early 2020, and the facility will be generating electricity by late 2020. See project report.
North Valmy 1 and 2 are the last two coal-fired units operating in Nevada. The early closure is conditioned on the six solar projects becoming operational according to schedule.
Aside from the six solar project PPAs that were approved by the Public Service Commission of Nevada (Reno, Nevada) shortly before last Christmas, NV Energy is currently assessing bids for at least 350 MW of renewable energy that were due December 10, in response to a bid issued in October 2018. In that bid, the utility said it was seeking Nevada-built solar, geothermal, wind, biomass and biogas technology projects that comply with Nevada's existing renewable portfolio standard.
In January, NV Energy issued yet another bid, this one for 400 MW to 600 MW of long-term firm capacity and energy resources beginning in the summer of 2020. The utility will consider conventional and renewable energy resources that could involve an asset acquisition, tolling agreement or toll with a purchase option. Bids were due February 11. Through its two subsidiaries, Sierra Pacific Power (Reno, Nevada) and Nevada Power Company (Las Vegas, Nevada), NV Energy serves about 1.4 million customers in Nevada.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, six offices in North America and 12 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities. Follow IIR on: Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn. For more information on our coverage, send inquiries to info@industrialinfo.com or visit us online at http://www.industrialinfo.com.
