Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners announced that the 690MW Gemini solar and battery storage project in Nevada has secured approval from the US authorities to go ahead with the construction.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the US Department of the Interior (DOI) have issued the final Record of Decision, signed by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt for the $1.1bn project in Clark County.
The Record of Decision concludes the federal authorisation and environmental review process for the project.
Claimed to be one of the largest projects of its kind globally, the solar and battery storage project is planned to house 690MW of solar PV arrays on approximately 7,100 acres land, coupled with the latest in battery storage infrastructure.
NV Energy to secure power from the Gemini project under 25 years PPA
Quinbrook co-founder and managing partner David Scaysbrook said: “This final decision officially clears the pathway for Quinbrook, and our development partners at Arevia, to accelerate completion of detailed project designs and procurement plans for one of the world’s largest renewables projects ever undertaken.
“Gemini will benefit all Nevadans by supporting jobs, stimulating the local economy and capturing the state’s abundant solar resources to deliver low-cost, renewable power to NV Energy customers.”
During the construction phase, the project is expected to support nearly 2,385 jobs.
Once operational, the solar facility is expected to generate enough electricity to power 260,000 homes in the Las Vegas area and potential energy markets in Southern California.
It will also help in reducing carbon emissions by 1.5 million tonnes annually.
The power generated by the project will be acquired by the local utility company, NV Energy under a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) which was signed in June last year.
In December last year, Quinbrook has also secured approval from the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada (PUCN) for its long-term PPA with NV Energy for the project.
