BLM seeks comment on proposed solar plants near Primm

By Jean Reid Norman

Monday, Aug. 10, 2009 | 1:59 a.m.

Three meetings will be held this month to gather comments from the public on plans to build two massive solar power plants on 7,840 acres of federal land near Primm.

The Bureau of Land Management will hold the meetings Aug. 12, 13 and 18 as it prepares to do an environmental impact statement for the project. The first half-hour will be an open house format to allow residents to see plans for the project, followed by a presentation and question-and-answer session.

NextLight Renewable Power LLC is proposing the project, which is expected to begin generating power in 2012. It would consist of two neighboring solar plants with a combined capacity of 400 megawatts.

NextLight has signed a 40-year lease with Boulder City to build a 100 megawatt photovoltaic power plant on 1,100 acres in the city’s Eldorado Valley energy zone. NextLight says that will be the largest photovoltaic solar plant in North America when it is completed in 2011.

The two plants near Primm would be in the Ivanpah Valley, immediately north of the state line and two miles east of Interstate 15. A new airport to serve the Las Vegas Valley is also being planned in the Ivanpah Valley near Jean, 13 miles north.

The proposed solar plants are part of a larger federal plan to encourage alternative energy sources.

The plants would use a silicon or thin film photovoltaic technology. Photovoltaic solar panels do not require large amounts of water for operation.

In addition to the solar panels, the project would require infrastructure such as transmission lines and access roads, the proposal says.

All three meetings will begin at 6 p.m. They will be held at the following locations:

• Aug. 12 — Primm Valley Casino, 31900 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Primm.

• Aug. 13 — M Resort Spa Casino, 12300 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Henderson.

• Gold Strike Hotel and Casino, 1 Main St., Jean.

To read the plans of development for the two projects, go to www.blm.gov.

CORRECTION: This story was updated to reflect the status of negotiations with Boulder City. | (August 10, 2009)