Second PV array to be constructed on Nellis Published Jan. 30, 2015 By Capt. Lauren Sahagun 99th Civil Engineer Squadron NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- NV Energy has recently been given the green light by the Nevada Public Utilities Commission to construct an 18-megawatt photovoltaic array here. The array will be the second on Nellis AFB and is part of the state's goal to move away from coal-powered energy. In 2013, the Nevada legislature passed Senate Bill 123, which mandates the retirement of 800 megawatts of coal-fired electricity generation in southern Nevada during 2014, 2017 and 2019. In an effort to comply with this legislative action, NV Energy has decided to decommission the coal-fired Reid Gardner Power Plant located near Moapa, Nevada, by the end of 2017. The Reid Gardner Generation Station began operations in 1965 and produces enough electricity to serve approximately 335,000 Nevada households. At peak operation, the plant produces 557 megawatts of electricity. NV Energy will replace the 557 megawatts of energy produced by the Reid Gardner plant with electricity derived from gas-fired and solar sources. NV Energy selected SunPower Corp., a Silicon Valley solar-panel maker, to build the new array on Nellis AFB. This is the same company that constructed the 14-megawatt array located in Area 3 of the base in 2007. NV Energy will lease the land from the base and will maintain ownership of the $54.5 million array. In return for leased land, NV Energy will fund a second substation and electrical feeder line for Nellis AFB. The electricity generated by the array will primarily flow to Nellis AFB but will also provide power to off-base consumers. The array has the capability to provide 100 percent of the base's electricity needs during peak solar hours and also provides the base with a redundant electrical system. The 18-megawatt array is scheduled to start construction in April 2015 and should be operational by December 2015. For more information about the second solar array on Nellis AFB or other energy related questions, contact the base energy manager, Jeff Blazi at 702-652-7790.
