Molly Ayala
Nevada's electricity comes from a variety of sources, including natural gas, solar power, geothermal energy, coal, hydroelectric power, wind, and biomass. The state has a rich abundance of renewable energy resources, with almost all of Nevada falling within the arid Great Basin. The sun-drenched desert landscape provides excellent solar power potential, and Nevada ranks second in the nation for its electricity-generating capacity at geothermal power plants. The state also boasts one of the country's largest hydroelectric facilities, the Hoover Dam. Nevada's power company shares energy with neighbouring states to maintain a balance of supply and demand in the Western United States.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Electricity generation in 2024 | 54.8% natural gas, 27.3% solar, 8.4% geothermal, 5.1% coal, 3.5% hydroelectric, 0.7% wind, and 0.1% biomass |
| Summer capacity in 2023 | 14,536 MW |
| Net generation in 2023 | 42,164 GWh |
| Additional net generation in 2024 from small-scale solar | 2,044 GWh |
| Geothermal energy | Nevada ranks second in the US for geothermal-sourced power production and geothermal resources account for about 8% of the state's total electricity generation |
| Solar energy | Nevada has substantial solar energy development and ranks fourth in the US as a producer of solar resources |
| Natural gas | Almost all of Nevada's natural gas production is a byproduct of oil wells and is used to operate equipment in the fields where it is produced. The vast majority of the state's natural gas supply comes through interstate pipelines, with most entering the state through Utah, and smaller amounts from California and Idaho |
| Hydroelectric energy | Despite having the lowest average annual precipitation in the US, Nevada has one of the nation's largest hydroelectric facilities, Hoover Dam |
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Solar energy
Nevada has abundant open land areas and some of the best solar power potential in the country. The state ranks fourth in the nation as a producer of solar energy. The number and size of photovoltaic power stations in Nevada have been growing rapidly since 2010. As of 2018, the largest is the 552 MW Copper Mountain Solar Facility near Boulder City, which is a group of co-located units, each sized up to 250 MW. Another 250 MW unit has been approved for construction, which could make it the largest solar facility in the United States.
Earlier notable solar facilities in the state include the 14.2 megawatt (MW-peak), 140-acre Nellis Solar Power Plant, and the 64 MW, 400-acre concentrating solar thermal power plant Nevada Solar One, which both began operation in 2007. The Nellis plant was able to provide Nellis Air Force Base with electricity for only 2.2 cents/kWh—compared to the 9 cents they were paying Nevada Power—by selling renewable energy credits (RECs).
In 2015, Nevada had 129 MW in private installations of rooftop solar. The federal Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit (income tax credit on IRS Form 5695) for residential PV and solar thermal was extended in December 2015 to remain at 30% of system cost (parts and installation). There is no maximum cap on the credit, and any excess credit can be rolled into the following year.
In 2018, the 300 megawatt (MWAC) Eagle Shadow Mountain Solar Farm was approved for construction with a flat rate of $0.02376 per kilowatt-hour throughout its 25-year PPA term, which could establish a new record. Net energy metering rules were changed in December 2015, unfavorably for homeowners having or considering rooftop solar, and were applied even to existing installations. After a public outcry, the earlier favorable rules were grandfathered for up to 32,000 customers.
Solar photovoltaic and/or thermal power has also been proposed to augment some geothermal power plants in the region—which struggle to meet demand during mid-day peak hours due to their higher bottom of the thermodynamic cycle—since the solar plants will peak at that time. Nevada is a leader in storage deployments, and utility, legislative, and regulatory actors are working to create a booming market with ample funding and incentive opportunities. Nevada had a total summer capacity of 14,536 MW through all of its power plants in 2023, and a net generation of 42,164 GWh. In 2024, the electrical energy generation mix was 27.3% solar.
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Geothermal energy
Nevada is one of seven US states with utility-scale electricity generation from geothermal energy. The state ranks second in the nation, after California, in its electricity-generating capacity at geothermal power plants. Geothermal resources account for one-fifth of Nevada's generation from all renewable sources and about 8% of the state's total electricity generation.
Nevada has twenty-three operating geothermal power plants with federal interest, with a total generating capability of over 750 MW. There are also nearly 400 MW of additional geothermal projects in the permitting, exploration, development, and construction phases, which are expected to increase capacity in the near future.
Geothermal leases are for an initial 10-year period, with 50% of the funds disbursed to the state, 25% to the respective county, and the remaining 25% to the US Department of the Treasury. The leased parcels undergo a detailed environmental analysis that includes three opportunities for involvement: scoping, public comment, and protest periods. Each lease, if issued, contains standard stipulations to protect endangered species and cultural resources and ensures that development is safe and environmentally responsible.
One of Nevada's electricity-generating facilities is a hybrid geothermal-solar power plant, which combines geothermal power with solar PV and solar thermal generation. This facility began as a geothermal power plant in 2009, and PV panels were added later, creating a baseload geothermal facility with peaking solar generation during the daytime when air conditioning demand is greatest. In 2015, a solar thermal power plant was added, which raises the temperature of the geothermal fluids and increases the efficiency and amount of generation from the geothermal power plant.
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Natural gas
Two coal-fired power plants in Nevada were retired in 2012, and the two remaining are scheduled to be converted to natural gas by 2026. One of these is an industrial facility, the TS Power Plant, owned by Nevada Gold Mines (NGM). NGM is developing a 200-megawatt solar facility with battery energy storage on the same site. Similarly, NV Energy completed the conversion of a coal-fired power plant to a grid-scale battery energy storage system in 2024.
NV Energy is a public utility that generates, transmits, and distributes electric service in northern and southern Nevada, including the Las Vegas Valley. It provides natural gas service in the Reno-Sparks metropolitan area of northern Nevada. The company ranked among the best 10% of electric utilities nationwide in 2012, 2011, and 2010 and was the best in the nation in 2009. Most of its company-owned power plants are fuelled by natural gas. In May 2011, the company completed construction of the Harry Allen gas-fired generating plant.
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Hydroelectric power
Despite having the lowest average annual precipitation in the nation, Nevada has one of the country's largest hydroelectric facilities, the Hoover Dam. The dam, which was built during the Great Depression in less than five years, has a generating capacity of about 2,080 megawatts, half of which is in Nevada. The dam generates, on average, about 4 billion kilowatt-hours of hydroelectric power each year, supplying power to Nevada, Arizona, and California. This is enough to serve 1.3 million people.
Hydroelectricity is a clean, renewable source of energy that does not result in air pollution, chemical runoff, or toxic waste and is therefore beneficial to the environment. However, the construction of dams to provide hydroelectricity can affect the ecology of an area, so careful planning and licensing of hydroelectric dams are required to minimize such impacts.
In 2024, hydroelectric power accounted for 3.5% of Nevada's electrical energy generation mix, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. This was a decrease from 2016, when hydroelectric plants generated more electricity than utility-scale solar PV facilities for the first time. In 2024, renewable energy resources accounted for 43% of Nevada's total in-state electricity net generation, with utility-scale solar and small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities generating about 31% of the state's total generation.
The Hoover Dam accounted for 95% of Nevada's hydroelectric power generation in 2024. The remaining 5% came from other hydroelectric power plants in the state.
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Wind power
Nevada has a quite limited capacity for onshore wind power generation, ranking 29th among US states. The NREL estimates that Nevada has the potential for 7.2 GW of wind generation capacity, which could meet 60% of the state's electric demand. As of 2016, the state had just 152 MW installed in one farm, the Spring Valley Wind project, which began operating in 2012. Wind power accounted for only 0.9% of in-state electricity produced in 2016 and 0.7% in 2024.
Despite its limited wind power capacity, Nevada offers incentives for the adoption of wind energy. The Nevada Governor's Office of Energy provides programs such as renewable energy tax abatements and revolving loans for renewable energy projects. Additionally, NV Energy, the state's primary power company, offers one-time cash incentives to customers who install small wind systems through its WindGenerations program.
Nevada's power company shares energy with neighbouring states to maintain a balance of energy supply and demand in the Western United States. This collaboration ensures a stable and reliable energy supply for the region. While Nevada has a limited role in wind power generation, it excels in other renewable energy sources, such as geothermal and solar power.
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Frequently asked questions
In 2024, 54.8% of Nevada's electricity came from natural gas, 27.3% from solar, 8.4% from geothermal, 5.1% from coal, 3.5% from hydroelectric, 0.7% from wind, and 0.1% from biomass.
Nevada ranks second in the nation as a producer of geothermal energy and fourth as a producer of solar energy. The state also has one of the nation's largest hydroelectric facilities, the Hoover Dam.
Nevada's power company shares electricity with neighboring states as part of an agreement to maintain a balance of supply and demand in the Western United States.
