Spring Valley Wind Farm
| Spring Valley Wind Farm | |
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The wind farm in January 2015
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 Location of Spring Valley Wind Farm
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| Country | United States |
| Location | Spring Valley, Nevada |
| Coordinates | 39°05′41″N 114°29′25″W / 39.0948555°N 114.4904137°WCoordinates: 39°05′41″N 114°29′25″W / 39.0948555°N 114.4904137°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | June 15, 2011 (site preparations) March 2012 (wind turbines) |
| Commission date | August 8, 2012 |
| Construction cost | $225 million |
| Owner(s) | Pattern Energy |
Spring Valley Wind Farm is Nevada's first wind farm. The farm is owned and operated by Pattern Energy. The facility is located in Spring Valley, northwest of Great Basin National Park and approximately 30 miles (48 km) east of Ely, Nevada. The 151.8 megawatts (203,600 hp) plant utilizes 66 2.3 megawatts (3,100 hp) wind turbines and occupies 77 acres (31 ha) in the center of Spring Valley, which consists of 7,673 acres (3,105 ha).
The wind farm, in consideration since 2003, was officially proposed to the White Pine County Commission in February 2008, with plans to have the facility operational in two years. Delays occurred when the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) sought further information from the developer about the site. The BLM approved the project in October 2010, but a lawsuit was filed in January 2011, alleging that the BLM quickly approved the project without conducting a full environmental analysis. The lawsuit stated that the wind farm would endanger Mexican free-tailed bats and other airborne animals, and that the location for the proposed project violated American Indian culture as it was near the site of an Indian massacre that occurred during the Goshute War in 1863.
Site preparation work began on June 15, 2011, and discussions about settling the lawsuit began later that year. Wind turbines began arriving on the site in March 2012, and the lawsuit was settled later that month. The site began operations on August 8, 2012. The wind farm provides power to NV Energy, which is its sole customer as part of a 20-year agreement that was reached with Pattern Energy and approved in February 2010.
As of January 2008, seven wind farms had been proposed for White Pine County, Nevada. On February 13, 2008, Babcock & Brown proposed plans to the White Pine County Commission for a wind farm to be built in Spring Valley, located approximately 30 miles east of Ely, and northwest of Great Basin National Park. The company planned to have the wind farm operational in two years. The project had been in consideration since 2003.
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