Miner’s request to leave power grid denied

Monday, April 1, 2002 | 11:01 a.m.

The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada Friday unanimously rejected an application by gold mining giant Barrick Goldstrike Inc. to leave Sierra Pacific Power Co.'s electricity system. It was the first test of a new state law that lets large companies buy power from sources other than the state's two major utilities.

The commission denied Toronto-based Barrick's application because Sierra Pacific owns an interest in the generating plant that Barrick contracted with to be its new supplier.

This conflicts with a condition of the law that calls for companies who leave the system to buy power from new sources other than the state's primary utilities, Sierra Pacific and its sister Nevada Power Co.

The next tests of the law will involve resort operators MGM MIRAGE, Station Casinos Inc. and Coast Resorts Inc., along with the Sahara hotel-casino and the Rouse Co.'s Fashion Show Mall, all of which have filed to leave Nevada Power's system and intend to buy power from a source not associated with Sierra Pacific.