Where Our Power Comes From
NV Energy owns and operates power facilities that keep the lights on for over 2.4 million citizens throughout Nevada, as well as a state tourist population exceeding 40 million annually.
Find out more specific information about power supply in northern or southern Nevada by following the links above.
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: 7.5 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: 628 Megawatts
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 expanded in 2011 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 plant is one of the most efficient and most environmentally clean plants in the nation.
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.
Northern Nevada: Where Does Your Power Come From?
NV Energy generates electricity at its own power plants in northern Nevada and imports electricity from out-of-state sources. During 2006, for example, the company's Valmy, Tracy and Fort Churchill power stations produced about 43 percent of the electricity provided to the company's 361,000 electric customers.
The rest was generated by other power producers and delivered to NV Energy over high voltage transmission lines. Much of it is imported from the Pacific Northwest and some is purchased from the small geothermal power plants that dot the northern Nevada landscape.
Of the electricity produced at company-owned power plants, about 56 percent is from the natural gas and oil-fired generating units at the Tracy and Fort Churchill facilities and the rest is from the coal-fired generating units at Valmy. Less than one percent comes from three small hydroelectric plants along the Truckee River.
Most of the electricity the company imports from other providers is secured through short and long-term contracts. A small amount of imported power is purchased daily on the spot market.
Northern Nevada Generating Stations
Carson Lake Geothermal Project (Under Development)
Location: Near Fallon, Nevada
Generating Capacity: 31.5 Megawatts
Project Description: NV Energy and Ormat Nevada entered into a Joint Ownership Agreement in which NV Energy has the option to purchase a 50 percent interest in the Carson Lake Geothermal Project from Ormat. Ormat will retain the remaining 50 percent interest and sell the plant’s output to NV Energy. Ormat has completed the drilling of several exploratory wells, the results of which are currently being evaluated, along with the geological model for this project.
China Mountain Wind Project (Under Development)
Location: Near Jackpot, Nevada
Generating Capacity: 200 Megawatts
Project Description: The China Mountain Wind Project has been under development by RES Americas since 2002. NV Energy purchased a 50% interest in the project development assets in 2009. It is currently in the Environmental Impact Statement process and would require final pre-construction approval from the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada.
Fort Churchill Generating Station
Location: Yerington, Nevada
Peak Generating Capacity: 226 Megawatts
Plant Description: The Fort Churchill Generating Station is a clean-burning natural gas fueled power plant located in northern Nevada. The plant utilizes two Babcock and Wilcox boilers to produce high pressure steam to drive two General Electric turbine generators. The first 113 megawatt unit went into service in 1968, followed by the second unit in 1971. In the event of an interruption in natural gas service, this plant can switch to an onsite fuel oil to provide temporary service to NV Energy customers.
Frank A.Tracy Generating Station
Location: 17 miles east of Reno, Nevada
Peak Generating Capacity: 1,021 Megawatts
Plant Description: The Frank A. Tracy Generating Station is a multi-technology natural gas-fueled power plant complex that includes a total of 12 generating units with in-service dates ranging from 1961 to 2008. The newest and largest addition consists of two highly efficient 7FA General Electric combustion turbine generators, similar to the turbines that power jet airplanes. The exhaust from these two units is then recycled to power a separate General Electric D-11 steam turbine for a combined maximum output of 578 megawatts.
North Valmy Generating Station
Location: Near Valmy, Nevada
Peak Generating Capacity: 522 MW
Plant Description: The North Valmy Generating Station is a coal-fueled, steam-electric generating plant with two operating units. The plant and complex are jointly owned (50/50) by NV Energy and Idaho Power. NV Energy is the operating company. Unit No. 1 went into service in 1981 and produces 254 megawatts with a Babcock & Wilcox Boiler and Westinghouse turbine/generator. Unit No. 2 went into service in 1985 and produces 268 megawatts with a Foster Wheeler Boiler and General Electric turbine/generator.
