NRG Solar commissions US solar thermal power plant

NRG Solar, a subsidiary of NRG Energy, has announced the commercial operation of the 392MW solar thermal power plant located at Ivanpah, California, US.

According to the company, all the three units of the plant that features 450ft high towers have started delivering electricity to California’s electric grid.

The plant is claimed to generate enough electricity to power about 140,000 homes in the region, avoiding 400,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.

Bechtel is serving as the engineering, procurement, and construction contractor for the Ivanpah solar power project, which is a joint effort between NRG, Google, and BrightSource Energy.

The solar project had received a $1.6bn loan guarantee from the US Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office.

The Ivanpah project is equipped with BrightSource’s solar power tower technology including 173,500 heliostats, solar field integration software and a solar receiver steam generator.

NRG Solar president Tom Doyle said, "Whether it’s partnering, developing or investing, NRG will continue to provide a diverse set of solutions and technologies to get the U.S. to the ultimate goal of providing affordable, reliable clean energy for everyone."

Electricity generated from Ivanpah’s units 1 and 3 are being supplied to Pacific Gas & Electric under two long-term power purchase agreements, while the electricity from unit 2 is being supplied to Southern California Edison under a similar contract.

Image: A view of the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System tower 1 and power block from the solar field. Photo: Courtesy of Photo: Business Wire.