Good News from Nevada: NV Energy Chooses Renewable Energy Over Coal

NV Energy has shelved plans to build the Ely Energy Center coal plant and will instead develop renewable energy and build the transmission to distribute it. The decision to postpone the Ely Energy Center was based on economic considerations and permitting problems.

Western Resource Advocates (WRA) played a large role in shaping NV Energy’s decision to put the plant on hold. WRA tenaciously encouraged NV Energy to use Nevada’s bountiful renewable energy resources while ensuring that regulators considered alternatives to the plant and adequately addressed the plant’s potential environmental impacts.

WRA supports NV Energy’s commitment to cleaner energy production and will stay involved to ensure that future projects, such as development of new transmission lines, are used to transmit renewable energy sources and not to enable new coal-fired generation.

“I want to congratulate NV Energy for this decision. It is good news for the environment, good news for ratepayers and good news for the Nevada economy,” said Charles Benjamin, director of WRA’s Nevada Office. “We look forward to working with NV Energy to develop a Smart Power Plan that meets Nevada’s energy needs with increased efficiency and that makes use of Nevada’s enormous potential for geothermal, solar and wind energy. Developing these resources will provide jobs and economic opportunity for Nevada for years to come.”

NV Energy and independent power producers in Nevada had proposed developing three new coal plants; Ely Energy Center, White Pine Energy Station, and Toquop. All three proposals face an uncertain future following staunch opposition from the conservation community, concerned Nevadans, and even Nevada Senator and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

February 12, 2009