Nevada Power Company - Power Plants

Power Plants

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.

• Current plants include:
  • Base plants
    • Wholly owned
      • Harry Allen Generating Station (144 megawatts) natural gas fired unit, in 2006 a 100 kW solar 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, Nevada
    • Partial ownership
      • Mohave Power Station (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 Authority
      • Reid Gardner Generating Station – (557 megawatt) coal fired plant located near Moapa, Nevada and 31% co-owned by the California Department of Water Resources
  • Peaking plants
    • Harry Allen (80 megawatts) in planning
    • Sunrise/Sun Peak (150 megawatts) natural gas fired peaking plant located in Las Vegas
• Other notable sources
  • Hoover Dam 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. California and Arizona get most of the dam's generated power.