Earlier this week, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced that it will begin seeking public comment about the proposed Libra Solar Project that would generate close to 700 megawatts of electricity on 5,500 acres of public lands mainly located in Mineral County. The proposed solar energy project would include construction, operation, and subsequent decommissioning of its photovoltaic solar modules and accompaniments, including the powerline that extends into Lyon County.

The Libra Solar Project would be installed in the area 55 miles southeast of Reno, 11 miles southeast of Yerington, 8 miles east of SR-208, and 7 miles west of US Route 95.

The BLM manages vast stretches of public lands across the nation and provides sites for development of renewable energy on these lands, and this project would help meet the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of carbon/pollution-free power sector by 2035. It would also help address Congress’s direction of fulfilling the Energy Act of 2020 to allow 25 gigawatts of wind, solar, and geothermal production on public lands by 2025.

At the time it announced its scoping public comment period, BLM published a Notice of Intent into the Federal Register to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement. Arevia Power would be the solar and wind developer contracted for the Libra Solar Project and oversaw leading the development of the Gemini Solar + Storage Project that was a 690MW integrated solar photovoltaic and battery storage facility built near Las Vegas.

Its team does intensive study and research to select the best sites for new projects, works with federal/state agencies, local utility companies, and participates in heavy community and landowner outreach to fulfill everyone’s goals. “In the case of the Libra Solar project, we identified a 5,500-acre site, primarily on BLM land on Mineral County that is ideally suited for a large, 700 megawatt solar generating and battery storage site and can be linked to nearby transmission lines, delivering clean power to Nevada ratepayers,” says Arevia Power Chief Development Officer Ricardo Graf.

Arevia Power was founded in Glendale, California, and has expanded to include offices in Las Vegas and Texas. “Arevia is currently developing several renewable energy projects in Nevada and elsewhere in the Mountain West States,” Graf added.

US Representative Steven Horsford is a proponent of the project.

“As we work to fight the climate crisis, it’s critical that we use these investments to create good-paying jobs right here in Nevada and across the country,” said U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04). “The Libra Solar project from Arevia Power will do just that, delivering 700 megawatts in solar power generation and bringing hundreds of jobs to Mineral County. I’m grateful to see the actions on investing in clean energy that I voted for continue to serve Nevada’s Fourth Congressional District.”

“The Libra Solar project represents a significant opportunity and investment in Mineral County. A large, 700-megawatt solar and battery storage project like Libra will create hundreds of new jobs building the solar generating plant, battery storage, transmission lines and supporting infrastructure. It will also create dozens of local high paying careers operating the solar and storage facility for the next 25-plus years. Arevia is proud of working closely with local communities, neighboring tribes, outdoors and environmental groups, and local businesses to ensure that host communities get the most benefit possible from clean energy infrastructure like the Libra Solar project,” Graf said.

The 30-day scoping comment period for the Libra Solar Project is now open and closes on May 23, 2023. The BLM will also hold a virtual scoping meeting on May 8, 2023, from 6pm-8pm. To register for the virtual meeting, visit https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2022592/510. Written comments may also be mailed into the Carson City BLM Office at 5665 Morgan Mill Road, Carson City, NV 89701 or emailed to blm_nv_ccdo_libra_solar@blm.gov.