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Approval of $1.5 Billion Transmission for NV Energy Will Help Address Climate Change and Increase Regional Efficiency

Western Resource Advocates today welcomed the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada’s approval of an approximately $1.5 billion buildout of new transmission for NV Energy that will help increase efficient use of regional energy resources and reduce the harmful fossil fuel emissions that cause climate change. “This extensive buildout of new transmission by NV Energy is

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Western Resource Advocates today welcomed the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada’s approval of an approximately $1.5 billion buildout of new transmission for NV Energy that will help increase efficient use of regional energy resources and reduce the harmful fossil fuel emissions that cause climate change.

“This extensive buildout of new transmission by NV Energy is crucial in helping Nevada reach its targets for reducing the harmful carbon pollution that causes climate change and will create important jobs as Nevada recovers from the economic impacts of the pandemic,” said Cameron Dyer, Western Resource Advocates’ staff attorney in Nevada. “The transmission buildout will provide economic development and ratepayer benefits for Nevada and beyond, by providing the infrastructure to connect renewable energy resources for import and export across the West and opening up economic opportunities for Interior West states to market their renewable resources to West Coast states while improving efficient use of energy resources across the region.”

NV Energy’s Greenlink Nevada transmission initiative will add an additional 525 kilovolt transmission line connecting northern and southern Nevada, providing an additional 725 megawatts of import capacity to Sierra Pacific Power Company’s service territory and 1,000 megawatts of import capacity to Nevada Power Company’s service territory. Most importantly, the approved Greenlink West transmission line will provide access to several renewable energy zones for future development, totaling over 3,000 megawatts of new solar photovoltaic generation.

The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada also approved several network upgrades to support the additional transmission infrastructure. These investments will support about 4,000 jobs, 2,000 of them related to construction, and inject around $690 million into Nevada’s economy through the construction phase.

NV Energy plans to finish the Greenlink West transmission line from Las Vegas to Reno by December 2026. The project includes a 525 kilovolt line from Las Vegas to Yerington, Nevada, and two 345 kilovolt lines from Yerington to the Reno/Sparks area.

The commission also required NV Energy to file investigations on how the utility can approach zero carbon emissions by 2050 and expand utilization of clean energy sources, as part of NV Energy’s integrated resource plan that will be filed in June 2021. Through these actions, the Public Utilities Commission is taking important action to create Nevada’s carbon-free future and to avoid the worst effects of climate change.

Contact

Julianne Basinger, 801-406-8664, julianne.basinger@westernresources.org

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