Dive Brief:

• NV Energy last week issued a request for proposals (RFP) for 350 MW of renewable energy and supplemental battery storage.

• The utility is requesting a minimum of 20 MW per project and will accept a range of  solar, geothermal, wind, biomass and biogas technologies to be built in Nevada. Supplemental storage systems can be paired with an existing renewable resource or proposed as part of a new project.

• The request comes as two November ballot initiatives loom over the state: one will determine whether Nevada requires 50% of power generation come from renewables by 2030 and the other could eliminate energy monopolies.

Dive Insight:

NV Energy is preparing to ramp up its renewable energy portfolio, though the utility has also warned voters its decision to add renewables is contingent on the rejection of the anti-monopoly ballot measure, which was partly developed to spur renewable energy growth.

NV Energy is the largest utility in the state by far, serving 2.4 million of Nevada's nearly 3 million residents.

The utility says if voters approve the measure eliminating monopolies, it will not add renewable energy resources beyond the state's requirements. Those requirements, if a separate ballot measure passes, would require the state to generate 50% of its power from renewables by 2030. But NV Energy says it has its sights set on 100%. 

The utility in June proposed to add over 1 GW of renewables to the state's renewable energy portfolio, which would double both the utility's and Nevada's renewable energy generation. The $2 billion proposal includes six new solar projects as well as additional battery storage.

"This newest effort keeps NV Energy on the path to achieving our longer-term goal of serving customers with 100% renewable energy," NV Energy President Doug Cannon said in a statement about the RFP.

Bids for new projects are due by December 10 and are contingent on approval from the state's Public Utilities Commission.