Nevada-based public utility NV Energy has just established its largest battery energy storage system (BESS) on a former coal-fired power plant site in the state.
Reid Gardner Battery Energy Storage System rises in Nevada
Swiss-US BESS giant Energy Vault developed the new grid-tied Reid Gardner Battery Energy Storage System in Moapa, Nevada.
It sits on the site of a former 557 MW coal-fired powered plant. The Reid Gardner Generating Station was demolished in 2019.
The project boasts a storage capacity of 220 MW/440 MWh. It is a 2-hour BESS that stores and discharges surplus wind and solar energy at peak hours to aid electricity demand.
“The hours that [NV Energy] really get concerned about are from about 5 pm to 9 pm. Because what happens, at that point, is the solar energy has really started to ramp off as the sun’s going down. And so, we have often had to go out to the market, the energy market, and buy energy to meet the needs between 5 pm and 9 pm.
Over the last couple of years, on average, we’ve paid $250 a unit of energy during those hours. We look at a project like this, and this can deliver energy for closer to $100 an hour a unit of energy.”
NV Energy CEO Dough Cannon (via local TV network KTNV)
Government support
The US Inflation Reduction Act provided 40% of the Reid Gardner BESS project’s $250 million total cost. CEO Cannon noted that customers will only see approximately $150 million of that cost.
“When you look at $150 million, and you spread it out over the life of this project, and you look at how we’re replacing market purchases, a project like this, an investment like this will actually lower customers bills.”
NV Energy CEO Dough Cannon (via local TV network KTNV)
This major government support is unsurprising, given the substantial benefit of the project to Nevadans.
CEO Cannon asserted that the new BESS can aid NV Energy customers to save 15%-20% from electricity bills by the end of 2024.
The new BESS is now fully operational under NV Energy’s management. It also provides its own integration platform and energy management system called “Vault-OS.”
