FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lake Tahoe, CA April 15, 2016. Earlier this week, Liberty Utilities participated in the official groundbreaking ceremony for their first-ever solar facility being built in Mineral County, Nevada (see photos below).
“This project continues Liberty’s commitment to renewable energy sources,” states Greg Sorensen, President of Liberty Utilities-CA. “When completed later this year, the solar project will meet 25 percent of our customers’ energy needs.”
The Luning Solar Energy Center (aka the “Luning Project”) will be a 50 MW project. In addition to the solar facility itself, a 120 kV power line approximately 1.6 miles long will be constructed from the solar facility to NV Energy’s existing Table Mountain Substation.
The Luning Project will deliver its generation at this point of interconnection on the NV Energy Transmission system in Nevada. NV Energy will then deliver the energy to delivery points within Liberty Utilities’ California service territory.
Liberty Utilities currently purchases all of its power from NV Energy through a Purchased Power Agreement (PPA), except for emergency diesel-generated power. Last year Liberty re-negotiated their PPA with NV Energy to exclude coal-fired power whenever possible. Renewable resources currently comprise approximately 22% of Liberty’s total power mix and meet the State of California’s current mandate, which is scheduled to increase to 33% by 2020 and 50% by 2030.
Liberty’s most recent annual customer satisfaction survey conducted in fall 2015 revealed that 68% of their customers rated Liberty as an environmentally responsible company.
About Liberty Utilities
Liberty Utilities is a regulated water, natural gas and electric transmission and distribution utility, delivering responsive and reliable essential services to over 560,000 customers across the United States. With a local approach to management, service and support, we deliver efficient, dependable services to meet the needs of our customers. Liberty Utilities provides a superior customer experience through walk-in customer centers, locally focused conservation and energy efficiency initiatives, and programs for businesses and residential customers. We measure our performance in terms of service reliability, an enjoyable customer experience, and an unwavering dedication to public and workplace safety. Liberty Utilities currently operates in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire and Texas. For more information, please visit www.LibertyUtilities.com.
Liberty Utilities VP for Operations Travis Johnson (blue shirt) prepares to turn over dirt at the official groundbreaking ceremony for the utility’s first-ever solar installation being built near Luning, Nevada. Liberty Utilities-CA President Greg Sorensen looks on.
Grading for Liberty Utilities’ 50 MW solar project in Mineral County, Nevada.
When completed later this year, Liberty Utilities’ 50 MW solar project will look similar to this installation. It will tie into NV Energy’s nearby substation via a 1.6 mile long 120-kV power line. Energy produced will be delivered to Liberty’s system to serve their 49,000 California customers.