The Ivanpah Solar Power Plant, located in the Mojave Desert near Primm, Nevada, is set to partially shut down, according to its operators, Solar Partners. The plant, which cost $2.2 billion, primarily supplied power to Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and Southern California Edison (SCE) under a purchase power agreement originally extending through 2039. Since its operation began in 2014, the concentrating solar power (CSP) plant has faced challenges, including producing less energy than expected and environmental concerns. Environmentalists have criticized the plant for its impact on the landscape, its use of natural gas for startup, and its role in the deaths of birds and bats, with temperatures near the plant’s towers reaching up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
A 2023 report estimated that the plant is responsible for the deaths of at least 6,000 birds annually. In that year, PG&E sought to restructure or terminate its agreement due to costs to customers. An agreement was reached in January 2023 to end PG&E’s contract, influenced by the industry’s shift to photovoltaic solar power, which is cheaper and more popular than CSP.
The plant’s operators plan to begin closing units in early 2026, with decommissioned units potentially being repurposed for photovoltaic solar energy production. Ivanpah Solar is owned by NRG Energy, BrightSource Energy, and Google.
