Geothermal Transmission Policy and Implementation in Nevada

Abstract

After two years of a two phase effort by the Nevada Governor’s Renewable Energy Transmission Access Advisory Committee, (RETAAC), of which this author was the Chairman, the committee issued its final report in 2009 with the following summary: (i) the Environmental and Land Use Constraints study group concluded that “After evaluating available secondary data collected for this project and consulting with representatives from land management agencies, no fatal flaws were indentified for the proposed interconnections”; (ii) the Renewable Energy Zone Study Group concluded that the (REZ) matrix developed should serve as the basis for the analysis (of transmission requirements) by the Economic Feasibility Study Group: (iii) the Economic Feasibility Study Group concluded that certain transmission lines could charge economically acceptable fees for the use of the transmission lines and that these fees could recover the costs as listed above, if the transmission line usage were fully subscribed, and (iv) The Export Study Group concluded that a significant market exists in California and Arizona for Nevada’s renewable energy and transmission paths are feasible. Based on this report, the Public Utility Commission of Nevada (PUCN) added the REZ maps developed by the RETAAC to Chapter 704 of the NAC (Nevada Amended Code). In addition under Docket 09-07011 the PUCN held a series of workshops to draft regulations implementing the REZ plan. This paper will deal with these implementation regulations and their potential impact on the transmission access of the geothermal areas in Nevada.