In electrifying news for Nevada residents, what was once the site of the nation's "dirtiest coal plant" has been transformed into the state's largest battery energy storage system.
According to local news station KTNV, the utility provider NV Energy launched the power system in late April to start storing extra energy before the heat of the summer, which will help lower customers' electric bills.
"Throughout 2024, our customers are going to see their bills be between 15 and 20% lower by the end of the year," NV Energy CEO Doug Cannon told the news network.
Called the Reid Gardner Battery Energy Storage System, the backup power plant is rated at 220 megawatts and 440 megawatt hours of power generated from excess solar and wind energy, per Electrek.
Located 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas in the unincorporated town of Moaba, the new BESS replaced the former coal-fired Reid Gardner Power Station, which operated for nearly 50 years before being demolished in 2020.
As the Nevada Independent reported, the Sierra Club estimated that the coal plant spewed more than five million tons of carbon pollution into the air each year.
The opening of the battery storage facility is welcome news for the nearby Moapa Band of Paiute Indians, whose members complained of respiratory problems from the former coal plant's pollution, per the outlet.
The battery power plant will also benefit other communities by providing extra clean power at peak demand times while producing zero planet-warming gases, which is crucial to help stave off the worst effects of the changing climate.
It will especially come in handy during Nevada's scorching summer evenings, when more people are running air conditioners but solar sites aren't delivering energy, as the Independent reported.
Kentucky is also converting one of the largest coal mines in the U.S. into a solar farm with the help of Rivian, The Nature Conservancy, and BrightNight, marking a significant step toward a cleaner future.
Researchers are urging policymakers to support renewable energy projects in America's "coal country" in Appalachia as well, which would help revitalize local economies as coal use continues to dwindle.
With these clean energy investments, it's clear coal's days are numbered, and green energy is here to stay.
"Battery storage is extremely important so we can shut down these dirty coal plants," one Electrek user commented.
"Makes sense to replace coal plants with battery storage. The infrastructure to connect the battery system to the grid at scale already exists," another said.
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