Massive Calif. solar plant may close years early, saving residents money

What was once the world’s largest solar plant of its kind may soon shut down more than a decade earlier than planned. This potential closure comes as the facility has struggled to compete with newer, cheaper solar technologies and faced accusations of causing thousands of wildlife deaths.

Why is this solar plant closing so much earlier than expected?

Opened in 2014, the $2.2 billion Ivanpah Solar Power Plant spans five square miles in the Mojave Desert near the California-Nevada border. The facility operates using concentrated solar power technology, which utilizes thousands of mirrors to focus sunlight onto towers to generate steam-powered electricity.

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However, utility officials said that cutting ties with the plant could lead to lower energy prices for consumers, as industry advancements in photovoltaic solar panels and battery storage have made other renewable energy sources more cost-effective.

As a result, California’s two largest power providers, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) and Southern California Edison, indicated they want to end their contracts with the plant. Southern California Edison is reportedly in discussions for a potential contract buyout, while PG&E has already reached an agreement with Ivanpah’s owners to terminate its contract.

If PG&E’s exit deal is approved by regulators, this would result in two of the plant’s three units shutting down by 2026, 13 years ahead of schedule.

What environmental concerns have been attributed to the solar plant?

The facility has also faced criticism from conservationists, who argue it has harmed local wildlife. Environmental groups claim the plant’s intense solar reflections have caused numerous bird deaths, with around 6,000 being incinerated mid-air every year. Additionally, concerns have been raised about its impact on the habitat of the threatened desert tortoise.

“Along with killing thousands of birds and tortoises, the project’s construction destroyed irreplaceable pristine desert habitat along with numerous rare plant species,” Julia Dowell, a senior campaign organizer at the Sierra Club, an environmental organization, said. “The Ivanpah plant was a financial boondoggle and environmental disaster.”

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What happens next?

If the agreements to end its power contracts are finalized, one of Ivanpah’s owners, NRG Energy, has suggested the site may be repurposed for solar panels, but details on the decommissioning process and associated costs have not yet been disclosed.