SolarReserve cleared to build 110 MW solar plant in Nevada

(ADPnews) - Dec 22, 2010 - US solar power developer SolarReserve on Monday said it had received a Record of Decision (ROD) for its 110 MW Crescent Dunes solar power project in Nevada from the US Department of Interior.

The ROD enables the company to proceed with construction, which is slated for the middle of 2011.

The Crescent Dunes plant will produce enough energy to supply 75,000 households, SolarReserve said. The facility will use an advanced solar power technology developed by US Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, a unit of United Technologies Corp (NYSE:UTX), which enables the storage of enough thermal power in the morning to operate at full capacity in the afternoon and up to eight hour after sunset.

The plant will sell its power output to NV Energy (NYSE:NVE) under a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA).

According to SolarReserve, the project will create some 450 direct and 4,000 indirect workplaces in the construction phase and 50 permanent positions during operation. It is expected to generate USD 40 million in sales and property tax revenues during its operation period.

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