BLM holds public meeting on proposed new power plants

Lisa Snedeker

Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2001 | 9:12 a.m.

LAS VEGAS - Despite environmentalists' concerns, Bureau of Land Management officials and power producers say Clark County could soon be home to at least six new power plants.

Responding to Nevada's pending utility deregulation and California's electricity shortage, several independent power producers have proposed building energy plants near Las Vegas.

"Almost without a doubt all (six) proposed plants will be built," BLM spokesman Phil Guerrero said.

With the exception of one plant that is proposed for tribal land, all plants would be built on private land, but would require rights-of-way across public land, Guerrero said.

Three California companies - Calpine, Pacific Gas & Electric National Energy Group and Reliant Energy - are among those proposing new plants.

"We don't see any obstacles," said Jim Rexroad, developer for Duke Energy of Charlotte, N.C., who added that his company has addressed residents' concerns about water and air quality. He said the company's proposed $600 million-plus plant in the Apex Industrial Park would employ about 30 and take about two years to construct.

Ground could be broken on the first plant by the end of the year, with it going on line as early as summer 2002, BLM officials said.

Residents were scarce at Tuesday's meeting hosted by the BLM to seek public comment.

But environmentalists such as Kalynda Tilges, nuclear issues coordinator for Citizen Alert, and Peggy Pierce, spokeswoman for the Southern Nevada chapter of the Sierra Club, said they were concerned that any new power generated in Nevada will go to the highest bidder - most likely out of state - and residents will be stuck with the environmental impacts including loss of water and degraded air quality.

"We don't want Clark County single-handedly solving all California's energy problem," Pierce said.

Tilges calls the new power plants "a quick fix."

"Nevada has such wonderful renewable resources like geothermal and solar power," she said.

Dave McNeil, renewable energy projects manager for the Nevada Energy Office, said only about 7 percent of the state's power sources currently come from alternative, or "green" energy sources.

The public hearing came the same day Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., introduced the Renewable Energy Development Incentives Act to extend federal tax credits for the use of wind, biomass, solar, geothermal technology and poultry waste to produce energy.

"Producing more environmentally friendly electricity for Nevada's families and businesses is essential to maintaining our quality of life and the health of our economy," the Senate's minority whip said.

Vivian Lewis, a resident of Moapa, a small farming community where two power plants are being proposed, said she supports the power plants because of the jobs they would bring.

The BLM comment period ends Feb. 19. Officials could not say when they would make on decision on how much environmental study will be required for each plant.