The Nevada Senate has endorsed NV Energy Inc.’s plan to retire its coal-fired plants and pave the way for the state’s biggest electrical utility to transition to more renewable sources.
After several revisions, SB123 was approved unanimously Wednesday and now moves to the Assembly.
Under the bill, NV Energy close the Reid Gardner coal plant in southern Nevada by 2017 and divest 800 megawatts of coal by 2019.
The Public Utilities Commission also will review the rate consequences to ensure customers aren’t on the hook for a new, cleaner power plants until they are needed.
The bill had bipartisan support, including from Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval and Democratic U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, who earlier this year called on NV Energy to give up its coal plants.
