Reid Gardner Station, located in Moapa, Nevada, became commercially operational on June 30, 1965. Unit 2 was added in 1968, Unit 3 in 1976, and Unit 4 was completed in 1983. Each unit has SO2 scrubbers that operate at modern day removal rates. Unit 4 contains a baghouse for fly ash capture to reduce the particulate emissions from the unit.

NV Energy plans to continue operating this plant for at least another 20 years and is dedicated to meeting or exceeding environmental standards.

NV Energy has asked the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada to approve the installation of state-of-the-art baghouses* on Reid Gardner Units 1-3 and Natural Gas Igniters* to further reduce emissions during start-up. Combustion upgrades on Reid 4 that will reduce NOX emissions have also been requested.

* This project was required by terms of a Consent Decree entered into with the State of Nevada and the U.S. Environmental Protection.

Purpose of the Project

NV Energy is requesting a right-of-way grant from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for the proposed ash storage facility and evaporation ponds expansion at Reid Gardner. Reid Gardner is a coal-fired electric generation facility located on private property bordered by BLM and Moapa Indian Reservation property. The facility produces several non-hazardous waste streams that are disposed onsite in a permitted landfill. The primary waste streams include fly ash, bottom ash, and water treatment sludge.

The existing ash storage facility and evaporation ponds at the Reid Gardner facility are approaching capacity. NV Energy needs to expand its existing ash storage facility and pond capacity by siting and opening an additional waste management unit.

Project Benefits

• The evaporation ponds will be moved further from local residents and the Muddy River.
• Moving pond operations will allow future reclamation of the existing pond sites.
• The ponds will be raised to over 100 feet from groundwater.
• Existing dust and odor concerns associated with the existing ash storage and ponds will be reduced or eliminated.
• The new ponds and ash storage area will be built with state-of-the-art designs for leak prevention and detection, dust control, and odor management.
• The identified Native American heritage sites at Black Dog Mesa will continue to be protected.
• The facility will continue to supply low-cost electricity to 400,000 southern Nevada residents
• Several hundred jobs within the local area will be maintained.

Environmental Protection

In coordination with the BLM, NV Energy contractors are currently performing the following environmental field surveys and studies:

• Desert Tortoise, a Threatened Species, and other Wildlife Species
• Groundwater Quantity and Quality
• Stormwater/Waters of the U.S.
• Sensitive Plants, Cactus, and Noxious Weeds
• Air Quality Monitoring
• Cultural Resources