• The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in the US has released draft environmental impact statement on the proposed 690 MW (AC) solar power plant
  • It will be developed on BLM-administered land in Clark County of Nevada with proposal of battery storage component
  • Solar Partners, XI LLC will develop the project if approved and will be the largest solar facility in the country on completion, according to the BLM
  • Public consultation is open for a 90-day period till September 5, 2019

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) of the United States Department of the Interior is considering a 690 MW (AC) solar power plant to be deployed on BLM-administered land northeast of Las Vegas in Clark County, Nevada. It is seeking public consultation on the draft analysing environmental impacts of the proposed Gemini Solar Project.

According to BLM, the Gemini Solar Project if approved will be the largest solar facility in the country. Solar Partners, XI LLC (Arevia), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Valley of Fire, LLC, has proposed to develop the project on 7,100 acres of land. Power generated by the project will be fed into the NV Energy grid.

According to the draft, the developer has proposed the inclusion of an integrated, climate-controlled battery storage system consisting of approximately 425, 5 MWh, 4-hour battery systems with approximately 53,550 individual batteries (maybe lithium ion) enclosed in a container and installed adjacent to each inverter.

It promises to generate up to 2,000 direct jobs during the construction period, and post commercial operations it will generate 7 permanent jobs. The 90-day public consultation period will end on September 5, 2019. Details are available on the e-planning website of BLM.

“The BLM actively supports the Department of the Interior’s America First Energy Plan, an “all of the above” strategy which supports energy development on public lands. We look forward to receiving public input as we continue to evaluate this project,” said BLM Southern Nevada District Manager, Tim Smith.

In July 2018, global investment manager Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners said it will fund the project and its partner Arevia Power will oversee final development and construction stages.

In November 2018, EDF Renewable Energy secured BLM approval for its 500 MW Palen Solar Power Project for Riverside County in California (see 500 MW PV Project Plan For California Approved).