Federal Renewable Energy Zones

The proposed Clean Renewable Energy and Economic Development Act directs the President of the United States to identify areas of the country, especially rural areas, where renewable energy resources could generate at least 1,000 MW of electricity.

Under the legislation Federal power marketing administrations, like the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) would have a year to identify the types of high-voltage or interconnection lines needed to access the renewable power in those zones. If, after two years, no private entities step forward to fund the construction of the lines, then WAPA and the four other Federal power administrations would each be granted an additional $10 billion in bonding authority to finance the lines.

The legislation limits Federal financing to lines that carry at least 75 percent renewable electricity, and applies the same limitation to any new lines to be built across Federal land.

The estimated cost of the transmission line connecting Nevada's northern and southern grids is about $600 million. This line, recommended by Governor Gibbons' Renewable Energy Transmission Access Advisory Committee, would allow Nevada Power Company to access northern Nevada's geothermal and wind resources, and Sierra Pacific Power Company to access southern Nevada's solar resources.

Energy Transportation Corridors

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 required the Secretaries to designate energy transport corridors on Federal land for oil, gas, and hydrogen pipelines and electricity transmission and distribution facilities in portions of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. 

Since the overwhelming majority of Nevada's land is owned by the federal government, this act may prove significant to the Nevada's efforts to develop its renewable resources.