In an announcement this week, Sempra Generation reported that it hopes to add a 48-megawatt expansion to an existing photovoltaic solar energy facility near Boulder City and Las Vegas, Nevada. The proposal would result in a total of 58 megawatts being generated at the site as soon as late next year.
"This would be our largest renewable energy project thus far and move us closer to our stated goal of becoming the first U.S. company to own 500 MW of solar power," said Sempra Generation president Michael W. Allman.
According to the company, construction will get underway as soon as a buyer is found for the facility's energy, which would be generated during daylight hours when public electricity demand tends to be highest.
The facility would be able to generate power for over 30,000 homes and, when completed, will use approximately 1 million photovoltaic panels. The existing facility currently uses 167,000 panels.
Elsewhere, Florida Power and Light is working on a similar project that will also be among the largest photovoltaic plants on the continent.
