Fueling our clean energy future
T. Boone Pickens
Sunday, May 9, 2010 | 2 a.m.
Not many states have the capacity to enjoy the benefits of alternative energy like Nevada. The sun shines. The wind blows. Major natural gas lines run right through Las Vegas, Carson City and Reno to supply the major population centers. And, as the Las Vegas Sun reported a year ago, “Nevada is poised to overtake California as the American geothermal energy leader.”
This self-sufficiency is becoming more and more important as the world begins to stir out of the global recession and the industrialized nations need oil to fuel their factories and run their cars and trucks.
The United States is far, far from Nevada’s self-sufficiency when it comes to oil. Month after month we import about two-thirds of the oil we use and 70 percent of that is used as transportation fuel.
Southern Nevada
Where Does Your Power Come From?
NV Energy generates electricity at its own power plants in southern Nevada and imports electricity from out-of-state sources. Since 2006, NV Energy has added about 1,800 megawatts of company-owned generation to its fleet. These newer, more efficient plants use less fuel and water and produce less emissions.
The addition of these plants also has allowed older, less-efficient plants to be closed. Of the electricity used by our customers -- a combination of company-owned power plants and power purchased from other providers -- about 70 percent comes from natural gas-fired generating units.
A growing amount of our energy comes from renewable sources and conservation, both of which are an important part of our three part strategy.
Southern Nevada Generating Stations
Edward W. Clark Generating Station
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Peak Generating Capacity: 1,102 Megawatts
Plant Description: The Edward W. Clark Generating Station dates back to 1954 and is the oldest steam generated power plant in Nevada. Today, it is a multi technology natural gas-fueled power generating complex that includes a total of 19 generating units with in-service dates ranging from 1973 to 2008. The plant’s newest additions include 12 FT8 Pratt & Whitney peaking units that can provide up to 600 megawatts of electricity to meet short-term customer needs.
Chuck Lenzie Generating Station
Location: 30 miles North of Las Vegas, Nevada
Peak Generating Capacity: 1,102 Megawatts
Plant Description: The Chuck Lenzie Generating Station is a clean-burning natural gas-fueled power plant that is located in Southern Nevada, north of Las Vegas. It is the largest combined-cycle generating plant in the NV Energy fleet. The plant’s air-cooled condenser system saves millions of gallons of water and is the largest such installation in North America.
Goodsprings Waste Heat Recovery Station – Under Construction
Location: Near Primm, Nevada
Peak Generating Capacity: 5.8 Megawatts
Plant Description: This facility is being built at a compressor station owned by Kern River Gas Transmission. It is expected to be producing renewable energy by late 2010.
Harry Allen Generating Station
Location: 30 miles North of Las Vegas, Nevada
Peak Generating Capacity: 144 Megawatts currently; 628 Megawatts by 2011
Plant Description: The Harry Allen Generating Station is a clean-burning natural gas-fueled power plant that is located in Southern Nevada, north of Las Vegas. It was originally built as a “simple cycle” plant to operate mostly during the hottest time of the year when customer demand was the highest. However, the plant is now expanding to include two highly efficient General Electric 7FA+e combustion turbines and a recycled exhaust system to produce steam for a General Electric D11 steam turbine to make additional electricity. The additional generation is expected to be operational in 2011.
Reid Gardner Generating Station
Location: Near Moapa, Nevada
Peak Generating Capacity: 557 Megawatts
Plant Description: The Reid Gardner Generating Station is a coal-fueled, steam-electric generating plant with four operating units. The first two nearly identical generating units went into service in 1965 and 1968. A third similar unit was added in 1976. Each unit produces 100 megawatts with Foster Wheeler boilers and GE turbine-generators. The plant’s largest generating unit is jointly owned by NV Energy and California Department of Water Resources. This 257-megawatt unit was commissioned in 1983 and uses a Foster Wheeler boiler to drive a Westinghouse turbine generator.
Silverhawk Generating Station
Location: 30 miles North of Las Vegas, Nevada
Peak Generating Capacity: 520 Megawatts
Plant Description: The Silverhawk Generating Station is a clean-burning natural gas-fueled power plant that is located in Southern Nevada north of Las Vegas. The plant utilizes two highly efficient Siemens / Westinghouse 501FD2 combustion turbines to produce electricity. Additionally, the exhaust from the two turbines is recycled to produce steam for a General Electric D-11 steam turbine to make additional electricity for NV Energy customers. The plant went into service in 2004. It is jointly owned with Southern Nevada Water Authority, but NV Energy is the operator and major owner (75 percent).
Sunrise Generating Station
Location: On the east side of Las Vegas, at the base of Sunrise Mountain
Peak Generating Capacity: 150 Megawatts
Plant Description: The plant features one 80-megawatt natural gas fueled steam boiler that was built in 1964 and a second 70-metawatt natural gas fueled combustion turbine that was added in 1974.
Walter M. Higgins Generating Station
Location: Primm, Nevada
Peak Generating Capacity: 530 Megawatts
Plant Description: The Walter M. Higgins Generating Station is a clean-burning natural gas-fueled power plant located in Southern Nevada near the California border. The plant utilizes two highly efficient Westinghouse 501FD combustion turbines to produce electricity. Additionally, the exhaust from the two turbines is recycled to produce steam for an Alstom STF30C steam turbine to make additional electricity for NV Energy customers. The plant went into service in 2004. Unlike conventional power plants that use substantial amounts of water for cooling, the Higgins Station uses a six story-high dry cooling system. Similar to a car radiator, 40 massive fans (34 feet in diameter) are used to condense the steam and cool plant equipment.
CLICK HERE to download a PDF file of the Map above.
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