Nevada Power Company
Encyclopedia
Nevada Power Company is a Las Vegas
-based company that produces, distributes and sells electricity in southern part of the U.S. state
of Nevada
. As of 2005, Nevada Power had over 700,000 electric customers in parts of three Nevada counties creating a service area of more than 4000 square miles (10,360 km²). The company is currently a subsidiary of NV Energy.
As of April 2009, NV Energy the parent company, has 10 natural gas fired generating plants, two coal-fired generating plants and is co-developing a wind generating facility, a geothermal facility and a waste heat recovery plant. With its purchase power agreements, NV Energy – on a per-customer basis – leads the nation in the use of solar and geothermal renewable resources.
.
After the acquisition of Elko-Lamoille Power Company in 1961 the company changed its name to Nevada Power Company and became the first Nevada company listed on the New York Stock Exchange
.
In 1999 the company merged with Sierra Pacific Resources
.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Nevada Power held off on building new plants and was looking to divest its existing plants based on Nevada's deregulation of power generation and distribution. However after the energy crisis in 2001, the deregulation was put on hold and Nevada Power resumed pursuing options to generate more of its own power.
In 2003 the company installed two of the largest phase shifting transformers in the world at its Crystal switching station to deal with the large quantity of imported power.
As a part of the plan to internally generate more of its power, Nevada Power in October, 2004 purchased from Duke Energy North America a partially competed 1,200 megawatt plant. Plans were announced on June 21, 2005 to purchase from Pinnacle West Capital Corporation its 75% interest in a 570 megawatt plant. The other 25% share is owned by the Southern Nevada Water Authority
.
In January, 2006, Nevada Power announced plans to decommission units 1, 2, and 3 at the Clark Station which provide a total of 175 MW of power.
On September 22, 2008, Nevada Power Company began doing business as NV Energy. This is the result of the corporate decision to unify its image under a single brand.
In the early years, power was generated by the company. However, in 1914 the company contracted to purchase power from other companies. This practice continued until the 1950s when the company again started running power plants to provide a portion of its base supply.
RTO West, formally known as "Grid West" http://www.rtowest.com/.
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
-based company that produces, distributes and sells electricity in southern part of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. As of 2005, Nevada Power had over 700,000 electric customers in parts of three Nevada counties creating a service area of more than 4000 square miles (10,360 km²). The company is currently a subsidiary of NV Energy.
As of April 2009, NV Energy the parent company, has 10 natural gas fired generating plants, two coal-fired generating plants and is co-developing a wind generating facility, a geothermal facility and a waste heat recovery plant. With its purchase power agreements, NV Energy – on a per-customer basis – leads the nation in the use of solar and geothermal renewable resources.
History
Nevada Power, and its predecessor companies, have been serving Las Vegas since March 20, 1906, the year following the creation of that town. The first company, Consolidated Power and Telephone operated until 1929 when it was split into Southern Nevada Power Company, which became Nevada Power, and Southern Nevada Telephone Company, which eventually became a part of Sprint, later spun off into EmbarqEmbarq
Embarq Corporation was the largest independent local exchange carrier in the United States , serving customers in 18 states and providing local, long distance, high-speed data and wireless services to residential and business customers...
.
After the acquisition of Elko-Lamoille Power Company in 1961 the company changed its name to Nevada Power Company and became the first Nevada company listed on the New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
.
In 1999 the company merged with Sierra Pacific Resources
Sierra Pacific Resources
NV Energy is an investor-owned holding company based in Las Vegas, Nevada.The company is a public utility which generates, transmits and distributes electric service in northern and southern Nevada, including the Las Vegas metropolitan area, and provides natural gas service in the Reno–Sparks...
.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Nevada Power held off on building new plants and was looking to divest its existing plants based on Nevada's deregulation of power generation and distribution. However after the energy crisis in 2001, the deregulation was put on hold and Nevada Power resumed pursuing options to generate more of its own power.
In 2003 the company installed two of the largest phase shifting transformers in the world at its Crystal switching station to deal with the large quantity of imported power.
As a part of the plan to internally generate more of its power, Nevada Power in October, 2004 purchased from Duke Energy North America a partially competed 1,200 megawatt plant. Plans were announced on June 21, 2005 to purchase from Pinnacle West Capital Corporation its 75% interest in a 570 megawatt plant. The other 25% share is owned by the Southern Nevada Water Authority
Southern Nevada Water Authority
The Southern Nevada Water Authority was formed in 1991 to manage Southern Nevada's water needs on a regional basis. The Authority comprises seven member agencies including the City of Henderson, City of Las Vegas, City of North Las Vegas, Big Bend Water District , Clark County Water Reclamation...
.
In January, 2006, Nevada Power announced plans to decommission units 1, 2, and 3 at the Clark Station which provide a total of 175 MW of power.
On September 22, 2008, Nevada Power Company began doing business as NV Energy. This is the result of the corporate decision to unify its image under a single brand.
Power plants
- Current plants include:
- Base plants
- Wholly owned
- Harry Allen Generating Station (144 megawatts) natural gasNatural gasNatural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
fired unit, in 2006 a 100 kW solarSolar cellA solar cell is a solid state electrical device that converts the energy of light directly into electricity by the photovoltaic effect....
photovoltaic system will be added. 484 megawatt combined-cycle natural gas facility being added. - Clark Station (1084 megawatts - 10 units). In January 2005, plans announced to shut down units 1, 2 and 3. Opened in February 1956 was a 32 megawatt plant. A 75 kW (3-25 kW arrays) high concentrating solar photovoltaic system was added in 2006. (located in Clark Country)
- Chuck Lenzie (1,102 megawatts - 4 natural gas fired units) located north of Las Vegas
- Walter M. Higgins Generating Station – 530 megawatt natural gas peaking plant located near Primm, NevadaPrimm, NevadaPrimm is a tiny community in Clark County, Nevada, United States, primarily notable for its position straddling Interstate 15 where it crosses the border between California and Nevada...
- Harry Allen Generating Station (144 megawatts) natural gas
- Partial ownership
- Mohave Power StationMohave Power StationMohave Power Station was a 1,580 megawatt coal fired power plant located in Laughlin, Nevada. Southern California Edison is the majority owner of the plant and was its operator. The plant is currently shut down and in the process of being dismantled.The plant was composed of two units of capable...
(1,580 megawatts, 222 megawatts Nevada power's share, coal fired) (Shut down on December 31, 2005 with the possibility it may not reopen) - Silverhawk Power Station (520 megawatt) natural gas fired located north of Las Vegas that is 25% co-owned by Southern Nevada Water AuthoritySouthern Nevada Water AuthorityThe Southern Nevada Water Authority was formed in 1991 to manage Southern Nevada's water needs on a regional basis. The Authority comprises seven member agencies including the City of Henderson, City of Las Vegas, City of North Las Vegas, Big Bend Water District , Clark County Water Reclamation...
- Reid Gardner Generating Station – (557 megawatt) coalCoalCoal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
fired plant located near Moapa, Nevada and 31% co-owned by the California Department of Water ResourcesCalifornia Department of Water ResourcesThe California Department of Water Resources , is a department within the California Natural Resources Agency. The Department of Water Resources is responsible for the State of California's management and regulation of water usage...
- Mohave Power Station
- Wholly owned
- Peaking plants
- Harry Allen (80 megawatts) in planning
- Sunrise/Sun Peak (150 megawatts) natural gas fired peaking plant located in Las Vegas
- Base plants
- Other notable sources
- Hoover DamHoover DamHoover Dam, once known as Boulder Dam, is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the US states of Arizona and Nevada. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression and was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President...
provides about 355 megawatts to the Nevada Power system. Contrary to popular opinion, Las Vegas does not get most of its power from the dam. It also does not get most of the power produced at the dam. CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
get most of the dam's generated power.
- Hoover Dam
Power transmission
Several generating stations are located in Nevada Power's service area. In addition, Nevada power historically imported a large portion of its power from other areas. As a result, the company's main transmission lines both serve its customers and provide inter-company power transport services.- Major power lines:
- 500 kV
- Major switch yards
- Mead Substation
- Crystal Substation
Regional Transmission Organizations
Nevada Power is a member of the Regional Transmission OrganizationRegional Transmission Organization
A regional transmission organization in the United States is an organization that is responsible for moving electricity over large interstate areas. Like a transmission system operator , an RTO coordinates, controls and monitors an electricity transmission grid that is larger with much higher...
RTO West, formally known as "Grid West" http://www.rtowest.com/.