Monday, Aug. 8, 2011 | 4:10 p.m.
CARSON CITY – Nevada Power Company is asking for another chance to show its justification for seeking to buy electricity from two proposed solar plants in Clark County and geothermal power from a project in Churchill County.
The Las Vegas utility filed a petition Aug. 5 with the state Public Utilities Commission for a rehearing and a reconsideration of the denial of the contracts. It says it has additional information to demonstrate the need for the purchases.
The commission in July voted 2-1 to reject the contracts, saying there wasn't enough information to show how it would affect the consumer. The commission gave the utility 90 days to submit the information.
The utility had an agreement with Fotowatio Renewable Ventures to buy solar-produced power from a plant 20 miles north of Las Vegas. It also had a contract with Next Era to buy power from the Mountain View Solar project.
A firm called Ormat Nevada has also filed a petition for a re-hearing on its plans to drill a geothermal well in Dixie Valley in Churchill County to sell electricity to Nevada Power.
Ormat says there was never testimony or evidence to justify the rejection of its contract with Nevada Power. It said neither the staff of the PUC or the Bureau of Consumer Protection testified against the project.
The commission also rejected two existing plans for purchases of solar energy in Clark County.
In its petition, Nevada Power said it would require additional time to prepare the analysis sought by the PUC. It said getting the information on the economic impact and all of the environmental benefits and costs will take time. The commission ordered the additional information to be submitted within 90 days and the utility is asking for 120 days.
At the July 21 hearing, commissioners said the utility should have no trouble submitting the information requested in the time allotted.
Organized labor had strongly supported the two new projects in Clark County, saying they would provide additional jobs.
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