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Executive Summary
Nevada was one of the first states to adopt a Renewable Portfolio
Standard. The Portfolio Energy
Standard is commonly referred to as the “RPS,” or simply the “Portfolio
Standard.” Since its inception in
1997 the RPS has been modified by the Legislature several times.
Currently Nevada’s RPS encompasses
both renewable energy and energy efficiency. The RPS requires the
state’s investor owned electric
utilities (Sierra Pacific Power and Nevada Power Companies) to generate,
acquire, or save electricity
from renewable energy systems or energy efficiency measures of not less
than 20 percent (20%) by
2015. For more detail about the RPS please see Appendix I.
Renewable energy development has accelerated with the implementation of
the RPS. To facilitate
delivering this new energy to users it is recognized that transmission
adequacy must be assessed,
limitations identified and new electrical interconnects proposed. The
Renewable Energy Transmission
Access Advisory Committee (“RETAAC” or “the Committee”) initiated this
process of review. Wind,
solar, geothermal and biomass potential was examined using the best
available databases and models.
Available transmission access was compared to these renewable energy
zones and areas of constraint
were overlaid on the resulting maps. Three recommendations were made by
the committee:
#1 The Governor’s Office support the
construction of transmission lines and collector systems to enable
access for renewable energy development in each of the identified
Renewable Energy Zones (See
Figures 1, 2 and 3)
#2 The Governor’s Office support
the construction of a transmission line to connect the state’s
northern and southern electric grids of sufficient capacity to provide
Nevada Power with their non solar
renewable energy requirements from the abundant geothermal and wind
resources in northern Nevada
and provide Sierra Pacific Power access to the abundant solar resources
in southern Nevada.
#3 Initiate Phase II of the
RETAAC to define the environmental and physical feasibility issues,
costs and
potential financing mechanisms associated with the recommended
transmission routes beginning in first
quarter 2008 with a completion date of December 31, 2008.
Final report is posted on
http://gov.state.nv.us/RETAAC-I/FinalReport.htm.
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