Giant solar project moves closer to breaking ground
A proposed project that would create the largest solar facility in the country is one step closer to breaking ground.
The Gemini Solar Project, which would be located on about 7,100 acres of BLM-administered land 33 miles northeast of Las Vegas, received a favorable environmental impact statement Monday from the Bureau of Land Management. If approved, the project would generate up to 690 megawatts of electricity and would include a 380 megawatt AC battery storage system.
The project could power as many as 400,000 Las Vegas homes.
Located just south of the Moapa River Indian Reservation, the Gemini project would develop 440 megawatts of solar capacity for Nevada in the first phase of planned development. Its expected life is 30 years, and the BLM found the project would create up to 2,000 jobs at peak construction.
Australia’s Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners is developing the project in collaboration with California-based Arevia Power, which is also managing the development phases.
NV Energy received approval to add the project from the Public Utilities Commission in early December. The Gemini project would move the utility one step closer to complying with Senate Bill 358, which requires Nevada energy providers to get at least half of their energy from renewable resources by 2030.
Construction is anticipated to begin in the first half of 2020, Arevia Managing Partner Ricardo Graf said in July. Arevia’s agreement with NV Energy requires the facility be online by December 2023.
The BLM will accept protests in writing through Jan. 27.
Contact Bailey Schulz at bschulz@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0233. Follow @bailey_schulz on Twitter.