USDOI Approves Largest Solar Storage Project in Nevada

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) has approved Nevada’s greatest solar and battery storage development, the Libra Solar Project, and opened the public comment period for the proposed Bonanza Solar Project.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has given the green light to Arevia Power’s $2.3 billion Libra Solar Project, a 700 MW solar facility with a 700 MW/2.8 GWh battery storage system. The project is approximately 18 miles south of the Fort Churchill substation in Yerington, near the Mineral and Lyon county lines, making it the largest co-located solar and storage venture.

Expected to be operational by the end of 2027, the Libra Solar Project is part of Nevada’s clean energy future. Arevia Power also signed a power purchase agreement with NV Energy in June, ensuring that the energy generated by the project will help meet the state’s growing demand for renewable energy.

In addition to the Libra project, the DOI has approved NV Energy’s Greenlink West transmission project. This 350-mile transmission line will run from Las Vegas to Yerington, increasing the state’s transmission capacity and supporting the integration of large-scale renewable projects like the Libra Solar Project into Nevada’s energy grid.

The BLM is also seeking public input on the Bonanza Solar Project, which proposes a 300 MW solar facility with a 195 MW/780 MWh battery storage system and a 5.4-mile gen-tie line across 5,133 acres of public land in Clark and Nye counties near Las Vegas. The comment period for the Draft Resource Management Plan Amendment and Environmental Impact Statement is now open.

The recent advancements by the BLM in July included the Esmerelda 7 Solar Project, which would be the largest solar development globally. The project comprises seven proposed utility-scale facilities that will generate 6.2 GW of solar energy, with a battery storage output of 5.2 GW. The projects will be on 118,000 acres of BLM-managed land near Tonopah.