Los Angeles is moving forward with a plan to bring power to 200,000 homes through a massive solar project in Nevada. Mayor Villaraigosa signed a 25-year contract between the Moapa Band of Paiute and the City on Thursday.
The $1.6 billion deal is meant to boost the city’s renewable power portfolio to bring it closer to meeting its goal of 25 percent renewable by 2016. When completed, the 2500 megawatts of solar power would enable the City to shut down a coal-fired power plant.
The plans call for construction of power transmission lines through federal property, both to connect the City to its solar fields and solar fields to one another.
A second deal was signed to purchase power from a subsidiary of Sempra U.S. Gas and Power. That deal cost $95 million and will provide an additional 210 megawatts of power.
The plan is expected cost ratepayers about $.80 per month.
Read the full story at the Los Angeles Daily News.