NV Energy is aiming to put more resources into Northern Nevada than Southern Nevada over the next three years.
Across the next three years, Northern NV will see roughly $3B in capital projects, while its southern counterpart will only see $388M through 2029, according to the utility’s newest Integrated Resource Plan.
The new IRP has increased electricity needs by 47% beyond what was anticipated only two years ago. The main reason for the increase is data centers. According to the IRP, Northern Nevada is ideal due to the open land, climate and fiber connectivity.
NV Energy filed its plan with the Nevada Public Utilities Commission in May. The utility predicts that within the next seven years, electricity sales in the north will dwarf those in the south.
The utility stated there are data center-related parties seeking 22 gigawatts of energy. The company says it has executed roughly 6 GW of agreements. A large portion of the signed agreements does not address generation and supply. Kilowatt-hour sales are expected to double by 2029.
The utility company makes its money from charging consumers for capital projects, not from marking up power costs. By the end of 2025, there was $2B in construction work in progress in Northern Nevada.
The IRP plans to create 4,370 megawatts of solar power. Additionally, it proposes creating 5,405 MW of battery energy storage; 180 MW of geothermal and 1,223 MW of natural gas energy.
This contradicts NV Energy’s 2021 plan to pivot away from fossil fuel generation resources. The State of Nevada previously issued a statutory mandate to convert half the energy used in the Silver State to renewables by 2030.
The IRP will appear before the PUC later this year. (Source: Reno Gazette-Journal)
