Fate of hydroelectric plant to be decided

Tuesday, May 1, 2001 | 10:48 a.m.

The Clark County Commission on Wednesday will decide the fate of a decade-long effort to build a water-powered energy-storage plant in the Blue Diamond hills.

Blue Diamond Power Partners, headed by an engineering firm from St. George, Utah, has sought the right since 1989 to build a pair of water reservoirs to be used to create hydroelectric power that would be stored for use during peak periods.

Essentially, it would be a giant battery, using electricity to pump water uphill, and using gravity to power generators.

Environmentalists from the local arm of the Sierra Club have sharply criticized the project.

"Out of the 10 or 11 power plants in Clark County, this is one of the worst," said Peggy Pierce, co-chairwoman of the organization's local group. "It uses more power than it generates.

"On the face of it, it's an absurd idea, trying to generate power with water in the middle of the desert where it's not close to any water," she said.

"We have many power plants coming on line and this one is just not needed," Pierce said. "There are better ways to take care of peaking demand."

Environmentalists are concerned that the power for the project will come from coal-fired plants such as the Mohave Generating Station. Of all generating plants, coal plants are usually the largest emitters of air pollution.

Pierce said the plant also will waste water, an increasingly valuable resource for the region.

But Terry Hickman, project manager for Blue Diamond Power Partners, said the project is environmentally sound. Local, state and federal authorities have all approved the company's environmental impact mitigation plans, he said.

That mitigation is ongoing. He said the company is working to protect plants, animals and birds from excess disturbance; check for any archeological resources that need to be protected; and control dust and traffic in the area.

"We received two letters from the Sierra Club during the public hearings," Hickman said. "We addressed their concerns to the satisfaction of the regulatory agencies. They have not brought up anything new."

Commissioners on Wednesday will consider granting permits to allow the generating station and accompanying power transmission lines and a waiver of landscaping requirements.

The county planning staff has recommended approval citing "a significant public need."

The plant could come on line in the Spring of 2002.