SUN EDITORIAL:

Make way for green power

Federal government’s push for new transmission lines is critical to growth of industry

Sunday, March 15, 2009 | 2:07 a.m.

Nevada’s leading electric company, NV Energy, announced Monday it was asking the Public Utilities Commission for permission to build a transmission line from Ely to Las Vegas.

The 250-mile line would connect the companies’ power grids in Northern and Southern Nevada, allowing it to move electricity across the state. In addition to NV Energy’s proposal, LS Energy of New Jersey says it has a “shovel-ready” plan to build a 500-mile transmission line across Nevada.

The companies, which both recently shelved plans to build coal plants near Ely, said their transmission lines could carry electricity from renewable energy plants. Their announcements are complete turnabouts from the way power companies have traditionally done business.

In the past, renewable energy plants were often stopped cold because of transmission concerns, and developers found themselves in a Catch-22. They couldn’t get investors without transmission lines and they couldn’t build transmission lines until they had investors. Coal plants, however, had no such problems because they are relatively cheap.

Now the political climate and economy are changing, and the power industry is starting to make an effort to tap renewable energy. President Barack Obama has made a commitment to renewable energy, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., sponsored legislation that will make it more affordable to build transmission lines by providing low-cost loans.

The government’s backing is sure to spur the growth of the renewable energy industry. As Lisa Mascaro reported in last Sunday’s Las Vegas Sun, nearly 90 wind projects across the country are waiting for the go-ahead to join the electrical grid. They have been stalled waiting for the money to build transmission lines, but now have a chance to move ahead with government-backed loans.

Building transmission lines in Nevada will be significant to both the state’s goal of energy independence and its economy. LS Energy says its line will create 20,000 direct and indirect construction jobs.

That’s good news. Clean energy and new jobs are a win-win for Nevada.

Discussion: 1 comment so far…

By RunningonEmpty

3/15/09 at 6:15 a.m.

Suggest removal

There could be no better investment in America than to invest in America becoming energy independent! We need to utilize everything in out power to reduce our dependence on foreign oil including using our own natural resources. Create cheap clean energy, new badly needed green jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.The high cost of fuel this past year seriously damaged our economy and society. The cost of fuel effects every facet of consumer goods from production to shipping costs. After a brief reprieve gas is inching back up.OPEC will continue to cut production until they achieve their desired 80-100. per barrel.If all gasoline cars, trucks, and SUV's instead had plug-in electric drive trains the amount of electricity needed to replace gasoline is about equal to the estimated wind energy potential of the state of North Dakota.We have so much available to us such as wind and solar. Let's spend some of those bail out billions and get busy harnessing this energy. Create cheap clean energy, badly needed new jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. What a win-win situation that would be for our nation at large! There is a really good new book out by Jeff Wilson called The Manhattan Project of 2009 Energy Independence Now. http://www.themanhattanprojectof2009.com...