NV Energy, the company that previously did business as Sierra Pacific Power and Nevada Power, said last week it wants to hear proposals to develop renewable energy sources in the state.
The company, under state mandate to steadily increase the share of its supply that comes from renewables until it reaches 20 percent in 2015, said it will consider proposals for power generated by geothermal, wind, solar or biomass.
While the company in the past has met most of its need for renewables through agreements to purchase power from third parties, the utility this time around leaves the door open to other options.
It will consider turnkey deals, in which suppliers build power plants that would be sold to NV Energy. The company also said it will consider proposals to sell development sites such as property with good geothermal potential where NV Energy can build plans on its own.
The utility hopes to begin taking delivery of some of the power produced from renewable sources by 2009.
It won't consider any proposal that would produce less than 1 megawatt of power, an amount that meets
the needs of roughly 1,000 homes.
The company hasn't said publicly how much power it hopes to purchase through the newest round of contracts. It's currently involved in 30 renewable projects around the state, said Tom Fair, the renewable energy executive for the utility's parent company, Sierra Pacific Resources.
Proposals are due to the utility by Nov. 11, and the company hopes to have contracts signed by the second quarter of next year.
