NV Energy announces deal for solar power from plant

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Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009 | 5:50 p.m.

NV Energy, Inc., and Renewable Ventures have announced an agreement for long-term sales of energy produced from a 26-megawatt DC solar photovoltaic power plant that will be built near Apex, 17 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

The project, expected to be completed by the end of 2010, will be the second solar photovoltaic agreement that NV Energy has announced in the past month, following an agreement with American Capital Energy for a 20-megawatt DC array in Searchlight, 60 miles south of Las Vegas.

Terms of the power purchase agreement, which is subject to approval by the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada, were not disclosed.

The agreement will help NV Energy meet Nevada's portfolio standard, which was increased by the 2009 Nevada Legislature. The standard now requires that 25 percent of the utility's energy be renewable resources, energy efficiency and conservation programs by 2025.

The companies said that all of the electricity produced by the solar power plant will be used by NV Energy's customers in its southern service territory.

The project will create about 200 jobs during construction and is expected to produce enough energy during operations to power an estimated 5,000 homes a year.