Guinn plan has Calif. in mind

Erin Neff

Friday, Feb. 23, 2001 | 12:06 p.m.

CARSON CITY -- California is hard to ignore -- with its huge common border, 38 million people and an economy dwarfing that of many countries.

With that in mind, Gov. Kenny Guinn's six-point energy plan is based on California's electric crisis and ways Nevadans can protect power generated here from being sold to the huge needy market to the West.

"They're our neighbor," Guinn said. "We have to deal with them."

California's crisis has escalated in part because the state has built no new power plants in 14 years. And although the state has six plants under construction, Guinn said Nevada likely will open four new plants quicker than California.

How will Nevada keep those new plants from selling to California?

According to Guinn the answer is simple -- Pat Mulroy.

As general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, Mulroy technically has control over all of the water rights for areas in which new plants can be built northeast of Las Vegas.

"I've talked with her, and she has agreed to give four permits for four companies," Guinn said.

She can negotiate with each power company to make it keep a certain amount of power in Nevada as a condition of receiving a water permit, Guinn said. Those permits could also require construction of the plants to begin within 12 or 18 months -- speeding up that process.

While keeping new power in state is critical, Guinn said he also worries about the energy sources Nevada gets from California.

When California experienced rolling blackouts, power was cut to the lines that pump jet fuel, diesel and gas to Southern Nevada. The blackouts left Southern Nevada with just a half a day's reserve of jet fuel and perilously low gas supplies.

The Cal-Nev Pipeline is so important to Southern Nevada that Guinn is examining emergency generators to keep the fuels pumping in the event of more California blackouts.

Studies suggest emergency generators can be placed at two strategic points along the pipeline and can be built and installed for about $1.5 million each.