New solar project now powering Nellis Air Force Base
CARSON CITY — A new solar project, the first utility-scale facility to be owned and operated by NV Energy, is now sending electricity to Nellis Air Force Base.
The Nellis Solar Array II project completed its initial testing phase and started sending solar-generated electricity from the 15-megawatt plant to the base on Wednesday. Coupled with the 13.2-megawatt Nellis Solar Star project, the entire base can now run exclusively on renewable energy during daylight hours.
Construction of the plant started March 2015, and a dedication event is planned for January 2016.
The project is located on the southern edge of Nellis Air Force Base.
SunPower provided the technology and built the plant using Oasis Power Plant technology, which increases energy production by using a single-axis tracking system that uses GPS to enable the panels to follow the movement of the sun throughout the day. Energy from 43,200 solar panels is channeled through 20 inverters to a new substation built by NV Energy, which will also provide additional reliability for Nellis Air Force Base.
Contact Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900. Find him on Twitter: @seanw801
