Nevada utility regulators approved a permit for GP JOULE USA Inc. to construct its proposed 101-MW photovoltaic Battle Mountain Solar Project in Humboldt County, Nev.
The subsidiary of German-based GP JOULE GmbH submitted an application through its Battle Mountain SP LLC subsidiary to the Public Utilities Commission under provisions of the state Utility Environmental Protection Act. The PUC approved the permit Jan. 31 by a 3-0 vote after PUC Chairman Joe Reynolds called it a "fantastic project" consistent with state policy.
The project site is about seven miles northwest of Battle Mountain near Interstate 80 on 630 acres of private land in north-central Nevada, but 1,000 feet of gravel driveway on federal land will have to be upgraded to provide access the site. The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management issued a finding of no significant impact for the project, and therefore an environmental impact statement was not required, according to a PUC staff memorandum recommending the commission's approval. BLM required and accepted Battle Mountain's weed management plan and bird and bat conservation strategy.
The State Land Use and Planning Agency will require the placement of solar facilities to be compatible with the natural environment, as well as "dark sky" screens to prevent lights from shining up or outside the facility.
The PUC conditioned its approval on the solar developer receiving a federal right-of-way grant and a pesticide use permit, as well as state and county permits, including state surface area disturbance and hazardous materials storage permits, and county grading, building and conditional use permits. The developer also will have to commit to a state energy cost recovery fund program before the PUC will actually issue its permit to construct the project.
No further information was immediately available from the company on an estimated construction schedule or plans for energy and capacity sales.
