NV — Power Infrastructure Updated 2026-07-17

Nevada

WECC Solar Storage Geothermal Data Center PPAs

1) Grid operator and market structure

2) Interconnection queue and large-load interconnection

  • Generation queue versus load queue: NV Energy’s public OATT/OASIS generator queue tracks generator interconnection requests, while data center load requests are now visible mainly through IRP load forecasts, Rule 9 line-extension filings, and Large Load Electric Service Agreement (LLESA) proceedings. NV Energy OASIS, current as of 2026-06-10; NV Energy 2026 Joint IRP Volume 6, 2026-05-07
  • Rule 9 tariff revisions: On March 6, 2026, NV Energy filed tariff applications in PUCN Dockets 26-03009 and 26-03010 to revise Electric Line Extensions Rule No. 9 after the PUCN’s Docket 25-08029 order. PUCN Electric Docket List, 2026-03-06
  • Rule 9 policy focus: NV Energy’s Rule 9 workshop materials state that the revisions were intended to address extra-large-load interconnection costs, avoid socializing data-center interconnection costs to other customers, and define cost responsibility, security, customer-specific facilities charges, and related processes. NV Energy Rule 9 Workshop Revisions, 2026-02
  • 2026 LLESA filings: In late May and early June 2026, NV Energy filed LLESA applications for Amazon Data Services, PR RNO Property Owner 1, SV RNO Property Owner 1, Vantage Data Centers NV11, Novva Las Vegas, Proton NLV, VIP Landco, and Prologis. PUCN Electric Docket List, 2026-05-29; PUCN Electric Docket List, 2026-06-03
  • LLESA approval request in 2026 IRP: NV Energy’s 2026 IRP testimony asks the PUCN to approve a standardized LLESA form contract, with approval requested by Sept. 18, 2026, for large customers and data center developers with loads above 25MW. NV Energy 2026 Joint IRP Volume 2, 2026-05-07
  • Status at the cutoff: Rule 9 Dockets 26-03009 and 26-03010, IRP Docket 26-05007, and LLESA Dockets 26-05026 through 26-05030 all remained on the PUCN active electric docket list on July 17. No final order adopting the Rule 9 revisions, standardized LLESA, project-specific LLESAs, or a separate large-load rate class was located by the cutoff. PUCN Active Electric Dockets, accessed 2026-07-17

3) Ratepayer protection (large load and cost allocation)

  • Statutory protection for large-customer retail choice: Under NRS 704B.310, the Commission reviews whether eligible-customer transactions are contrary to the public interest, including impacts on other customers and the utility system. Nevada Legislature NRS 704B.310, current as of 2026-06-10
  • No-harm regulation: NAC 704B.410 directs the Commission to ensure that proposed new-resource transactions do not subject the utility or remaining customers to increased costs. Nevada Administrative Code 704B.410, current as of 2026-06-10
  • Rule 9 and LLESA cost allocation: NV Energy’s 2026 IRP frames LLESAs and Rule 9 agreements as the mechanisms for assigning costs caused by large-load additions to those loads rather than to existing customers. NV Energy 2026 Joint IRP Volume 2, 2026-05-07; NV Energy 2026 Joint IRP Volume 6, 2026-05-07
  • Microsoft Ratepayer Protection Tariff proposal: Microsoft filed May 21 comments in PUCN Docket 20-08014 proposing that large-load customers pay their customer-specific generation, transmission, and substation costs and an exit charge, with a possible 60-day review path for projects whose infrastructure is fully developer-funded. As of July 17, this was a stakeholder proposal in a resource-adequacy investigation, not an adopted tariff, Commission rule, or NV Energy rate class. Microsoft PUCN filing, 2026-05-21; Data Center Dynamics, 2026-06-22
  • Public reporting on RPS/cost pressure: The Nevada Independent reported in March 2026 that NV Energy expects it will need 47% more energy than it forecast two years earlier because of data centers and other large customers, while the utility says its existing agreements require data center developers to fund infrastructure, generation, and energy needed for their projects. The Nevada Independent, 2026-03-10

4) Generation adequacy - major projects and storage

  • 2026 preferred plan scale: NV Energy’s 2026 IRP Preferred Plan proposes 4,370MW of solar, 5,405MW of battery energy storage, 180MW of geothermal, and 1,223MW of peaking turbines. NV Energy 2026 Joint IRP Volume 6, 2026-05-07
  • Preferred-plan procurement: The 2026 IRP Preferred Plan includes 23 PPAs; 19 are non-customer-specific bundled-load PPAs totaling 3,770MW solar PV, 4,805MW BESS, and 30MW geothermal, while four sleeved PPAs associated with customer energy agreements add 600MW solar PV, 600MW BESS, and 150MW geothermal. NV Energy 2026 Joint IRP Volume 6, 2026-05-07
  • Thermal capacity additions: NV Energy’s 2026 IRP Preferred Plan includes Fort Churchill combustion-turbine additions of 401MW in June 2030, 401MW in June 2031, and 421MW in June 2032. NV Energy 2026 Joint IRP Volume 6, 2026-05-07
  • Demand-side resources: NV Energy’s 2026 IRP includes a three-year energy efficiency and demand-reduction budget of $238 million. NV Energy 2026 Joint IRP Volume 6, 2026-05-07
  • Amazon clean-energy agreement: Amazon announced support for 700MW of new carbon-free energy in Nevada for future Reno-area data center operations, including 100MW geothermal from Zanskar and 600MW solar plus 600MW battery storage from Primergy through NV Energy. Data Center Dynamics, 2026-05-12
  • Google/Ormat geothermal PPA: Google signed a 150MW geothermal PPA with Ormat in Nevada through NV Energy’s Clean Transition Tariff; the PPA is expected to support Google’s Nevada data center operations and is subject to PUCN approval expected in the second half of 2026. Data Center Dynamics, 2026-02-17

5) Utility load forecasts - data center growth

6) Behind-the-meter / co-location / direct procurement

  • Direct procurement framework: Nevada’s NRS Chapter 704B remains the statutory path for eligible large customers to procure new electric resources outside traditional bundled utility service, subject to PUCN review and impact protections. Nevada Legislature NRS Chapter 704B, current as of 2026-06-10
  • Clean Transition Tariff pathway: The Google/Ormat and Amazon/NV Energy announcements show large technology customers using NV Energy utility arrangements to support clean-firm or clean-energy resources for Nevada data center operations, rather than pure behind-the-meter self-supply. Data Center Dynamics, 2026-02-17; Data Center Dynamics, 2026-05-12
  • Temporary self-generation filings: In April 2026, PR RNO and SV RNO filed PUCN applications for temporary natural-gas-fueled self-generation projects of 218MW and 144MW, respectively, in Storey County. PUCN Electric Docket List, 2026-04-20
  • Temporary self-generation permit status: The PR RNO and SV RNO PUCN applications, Dockets 26-04027 and 26-04026, remained active on July 17. Nevada Division of Environmental Protection’s permit table also listed their new Class I air-quality operating-permit applications, submitted April 20 and April 19, respectively, as pending; thus neither temporary gas project had a final public utility and air-permit record at the cutoff. PUCN Active Electric Dockets, accessed 2026-07-17; Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, accessed 2026-07-17
  • Boulder City co-location proposal moved to federal land: Townsite Solar 2 withdrew its application for 88.5 acres of Boulder City-owned land after BLM approved a June 26 amended right-of-way for a data center, battery system, substation, and backup generation on an adjacent roughly 80-acre federal parcel. Boulder City voted July 14 to appeal that approval, so the 150-170MW project’s siting and power configuration remained contested. City of Boulder City, 2026-07-07; City of Boulder City, 2026-07-15; Nevada Current, 2026-07-15

7) Transmission constraints and upgrades

  • 2026 IRP driven by data-center load: NV Energy describes the 2026 IRP as a response to unprecedented, policy-driven load growth from large data center requests, with planning intended to reduce stranded-asset risk and protect existing residential, small business, and commercial/industrial customers. NV Energy 2026 Joint IRP Volume 6, 2026-05-07
  • Reno Power NR 1 525kV loop: On Feb. 20, 2026, Reno Power NR 1 filed notice of an approximately 88.6-mile 525kV transmission line loop on federally managed land in Storey and Lyon Counties. PUCN Electric Docket List, 2026-02-20
  • South Valley 345kV facilities: On April 7, 2026, SV RNO filed for a new 345kV substation and four 345kV transmission lines to interconnect with the Mackey Switching Station in Storey County. PUCN Electric Docket List, 2026-04-07
  • Greenlink West filings: On April 9, 2026, NV Energy filed UEP applications for portions of the Greenlink West Transmission Line Project consisting of three 345kV transmission lines on federally managed and private land in Lyon, Storey, Washoe, and Reno extraterritorial-jurisdiction areas. PUCN Electric Docket List, 2026-04-09
  • Chukar-to-Lantern line: On April 30, 2026, Sierra Pacific filed notice for the Chukar-to-Lantern 345kV line on federally managed land in Churchill, Lyon, Storey, and Washoe Counties. PUCN Electric Docket List, 2026-04-30
  • Lux Solar and storage: On June 2, 2026, Lux Solar Center filed for a 125MW photovoltaic facility, up to 125MW BESS, and a 120kV generation-tie line in Lyon County. PUCN Electric Docket List, 2026-06-02
  • Western regional transmission coordination: On June 30, Gov. Joe Lombardo joined other Western governors in endorsing the WestTEC transmission-planning roadmap and creating the Permitting and Coordination Taskforce to coordinate multistate permitting. The agreement does not approve a Nevada data-center interconnection, but it is a new regional planning mechanism relevant to the transmission expansion needed for Nevada’s large-load forecast. Office of Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, 2026-06-30

Notes on sources and gaps