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Dec. 19, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Wind farm floated in state

Duke Energy proposes project near Searchlight

By JOHN G. EDWARDS and STEVE TETREAULT
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Harry Reid
Senate majority leader called a supporter of wind power projects

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who has aggressively promoted the development of renewable energy in Nevada, may be able to see some tangible results from his home in Searchlight in a few years.

Duke Energy on Thursday said it proposes to build a wind farm that could cost up to $600 million dollars and generate 300 megawatts a few miles southeast of Searchlight.

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    • Although Reid neither is an investor in the project nor promoted the particular wind site, he is a supporter.

    "Senator Reid likes the project," said Jon Summers, a spokesman for the Nevada Democrat. "He thinks it's a good idea. It's going to bring clean energy to Nevada."

    Summers said Duke Energy has worked to resolve concerns in Searchlight.

    The project would boost the Searchlight economy. It would employ hundreds during six to eight months of construction, Duke Energy Managing Director Robert Charlebois said.

    Once completed, it would provide permanent employment for 15 workers, he said.

    The project could become a key source of property tax revenue for state and local governments.

    Nevada has no operating wind power projects now, but several are under development.

    NV Energy Inc., which operates utilities with a similar name, on Thursday announced it is proceeding with development of the 200-megawatt China Mountain wind project in northeastern Nevada and southern Idaho.

    Analysts generally consider Nevada's wind energy mediocre compared with wind energy in states like Wyoming and Texas, although the Silver State is rich in solar and geothermal resources.

    Yet, Charlebois said wind power developers have noticed the potential for wind power in the Searchlight area.

    Duke Energy expects tests to demonstrate that the Searchlight project is commercially viable.

    Among Searchlight's strong points for wind energy are proximity to Las Vegas where population growth creates demand for additional energy and access to transmission lines.

    "We believe that NV Energy (which serves Las Vegas) would be one of our prime markets for this energy," Charlebois said. NV Energy needs to continue increasing its reliance on green power under state law.

    Duke Energy is looking at wind sites in a 25,000-acre area controlled by the Bureau of Land Management, and Charlebois said the company will need only a small portion of that land for the wind farm.

    About 100 to 150 wind turbine towers will reach 260 feet high.

    Drivers on U.S. Highway 95 probably will see wind turbines, and said some turbines may be visible from Searchlight, Charlebois said.

    Researchers must determine how much of a threat the turbines pose to birds, but the area doesn't appear to be along the route of regular bird migration, he said.

    Charlebois suspects it will take until March 2011 to go through the regulatory review process.

    Contact reporter John G. Edwards at jedwards@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0420.

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    Jen wrote on December 19, 2008 11:31 AM: I wonder if the wind farm were to be located in Pahrump and have the support of Gibbons if some of you would get behind it. Honestly, it seems if
    Reid supports a project some of you just automatically dismiss it.

    Don't you want to be energy independent? We have to move forward - if there is a plan to generate energy that doesn't come with a toxic bi-product, then why not?


    Audit wrote on December 19, 2008 10:40 AM: The cost of electricity from new nuclear plants makes the price for power from solar look cheap.
    Why will the Federal government pay $billions to Nevada for the use of Yucca Mtn? It won't!


    NO TO THIS wrote on December 19, 2008 10:38 AM: As a founding member of the Zena tribe of the 12 apostles, our Church will do everything in our power to stop this folly. We are preparing to file multiple contentions and lawsuits to stop this environmentally damaging and un-Godly folly-

    1- Wind farms kill birds,
    2- Wind farms harm desert tortoises,
    3- This will trespass on Native American burial grounds,
    4- This will offend the wind Gods,
    5- This will be a visual eyesore to the 12 apostles,
    6- The transmission lines will be environmentally damaging unless a wireless tesla transmitter is used,
    7- Magnetic fields from the generators will emit tackion particles,
    And so on…

    I call upon the Great God of Stupidity, Bob Loux, to join our tribe and help put a curse on Harry.








    Bighorn wrote on December 19, 2008 09:33 AM: Wind farms screw up property values, destroy bird life bats and other wildlife and since the area only has fair wind potential, it is not worth the damage. Powerlines will require property seizure.

    This is also in the Piute-Eldorado ACEC. Desert Tortoise critical habitat. Reid does not care about the natural resources in his state unless he can cash in on them.

    Put solar panels on the roof!

    http://www.basinandrangewatch.org/SolarDesert.html


    Ken wrote on December 19, 2008 09:01 AM: "Although Reid neither is an investor in the project nor promoted the particular wind site, he is a supporter."

    I'm sure Reid is getting a great chuckle out of this comment. Provided he isn't busy being the official mouthpiece of Al Qaeda in Washington.


    logic wrote on December 19, 2008 08:17 AM: Blue1,
    That would be called logic, we are a blue state now, forget commen sense and logic!!


    Blue1 wrote on December 19, 2008 07:49 AM: Why not build a nuclear power plant out at the Test Site and generate some REAL power? What we don't use we could sell to Utah, California and Arizona.

    Then open Yucca Mountain and collect the billions the Feds will pay Nevada to have the depository in our state.

    Case-closed, no more budget and energy problems for Nevada. "It's for the kids!"


    don wrote on December 19, 2008 06:58 AM: Just put Harry and his big mouth on the farm and we'll never worry about wind again.
    Just think folks.
    We get to vote for Harry very shortly.
    These dummies will put him in again.
    TERM LIMITS or
    return the Californians and back Easterners to whence they came is the only answer.
    I'm old enough to remember before the hippies and protesters that are the government that places like Cal.,Nv.,Ariz. were conservative.
    The liberals have really come into their own.
    Horray for the Socialism to come. We'll fit right into the European-U.N. plan.
    How do you liberals like bowing to the U.N. because it won't be that long before it'll come about.
    Capitalism will become mute and you Republicans can thank Bush for a lot of the beginning of the end.


    K. Hardgrove wrote on December 19, 2008 04:30 AM:
    Nothing but a bunch of wind in this fictional tale that Reid has conjured up. The residents will be raped, and will not see lower power bills that are now usurious.


    Vegas Vic wrote on December 19, 2008 03:16 AM: That's great. I'll be really interested when, after they've built the wind farm, they get transmission lines built to connect this "wonderful, clean" power to the existing energy grid. Just fighting the greenies' lawsuits against those lines will probably add another 600 million dollars to the project.