FAQS

The Ponderosa Solar + Battery Storage Project is a proposed 350-megawatt (MW) solar facility paired with up to 350 MW / 1,400 megawatt-hours (MWh) of battery storage. The project would be located on the existing Ponderosa Dairy property in Amargosa Valley. The battery system allows electricity generated during the day to be stored and delivered when demand is highest, supporting grid reliability.

The solar panels and battery storage facilities are proposed to be located on private land at the existing dairy site. A generation tie-line connecting the project to the transmission system may cross limited areas of BLM-managed land and would require federal approval.

The project will interconnect at the Valley Switch substation, which is located within Valley Electric Association’s (VEA) service territory. The energy will flow to the nearest connected loads based on real-time system demand. This includes serving customers in Nevada and across the broader CAISO footprint, including California and parts of the western region.

The Ponderosa Dairy is being sold due to financial issues caused by a combination of rising prices, increasing costs, and industry consolidation. The dairy reached out to the BRP development team to explore a potential partnership through a land option agreement after observing BRP’s experience and successful development of the first solar project in Amargosa.

Selling the land to an experienced and reputable solar developer provides Rockview Farms and Ponderosa Dairy with an opportunity to address immediate financial considerations while transitioning the property toward a new long-term use that supports the community.

BRP entered into an option agreement to acquire the Ponderosa Dairy land because the area offers ideal conditions for solar development including flat and expansive land, lots of sun, and close to existing transmission infrastructure. Repurposing the dairy land also has the potential to dramatically reduce long-term water usage compared with agriculture, while generating tax revenue and job opportunities for the community.

The option period is up to five years. During this time BRP will complete environmental studies, feasibility assessments, secure required permits, complete necessary network upgrades, and achieve other key development milestones needed to execute the option and close the sale. The dairy will remain operational until the option period concludes which is expected to be within 2 to 3 years.

BRP is committed to supporting re-training efforts and helping impacted dairy employees transition into new opportunities as well as opportunities for all interested community members.

The project team is collaborating with Nye Communities Coalition, IBEW and LIUNA to provide training programs to help qualify local residents for solar jobs and help dairy workers find new jobs in Amargosa that will create opportunities for local skilled trade careers, support economic resilience in Amargosa Valley and provide skills needed for long-term careers in the growing solar industry in Amargosa and throughout Nevada.

The project is expected to create approximately 400 construction jobs. Once operational, it is expected to support around 10–15 permanent operations and maintenance positions. Construction activity will also generate indirect economic benefits for local businesses.

Over its 40-year operating life, the project is expected to generate approximately $94 million in tax revenue for Nye County taxing districts, including property taxes and sales and use taxes during construction. These revenues support schools, emergency services, infrastructure, and other public services while contributing to long-term economic diversification.

The project includes water rights associated with the existing dairy property that are significantly in excess of the project’s long-term operational needs. Solar energy requires substantially less water than dairy operations, and once operational, overall water demand at the site will decrease meaningfully compared to historic agricultural use.

During the peak construction period, we anticipate needing approximately 400 acre-feet per year, primarily for dust control and site preparation. Long-term operational water use will be significantly lower than construction needs and far below historic dairy usage.

The solar project’s long-term water needs are expected to be well below the total water rights associated with the property. Any excess water rights may be strategically retired or reallocated, subject to regulatory approval and coordination with local stakeholders, to support basin stability and community priorities.

The project is sited on a previously disturbed private property and is designed to largely avoid neighboring residential properties. Required setbacks, fencing, and visual screening where needed will support compatibility with surrounding rural land uses. Additionally, solar facilities are low-profile, quiet, and do not generate odors, smoke, or emissions under normal operations.

Traffic will be temporary during the 2-year construction period. The project is required to prepare an approved Transportation Plan and provide financial assurance (bonding) to ensure any roads or infrastructure impacted by the project are repaired or replaced. After construction is completed, there will be minimal ongoing traffic during operations.

Numerous studies by county assessors, academic institutions, and real estate groups show that most solar projects do not negatively impact surrounding property values, especially those on previously disturbed land and set back from homes at least 150-200ft.

The project is proposed on previously disturbed agricultural land. Transitioning from intensive agricultural use to a solar facility will reduce current nuisance conditions such as odors, flies, and soil or nutrient runoff associated with manure management which typically impact property values. The solar project is not expected to introduce the same types or intensity of off-site effects and will be low-profile, quiet, and will not generate odors, smoke, or emissions under normal operations.

Please see Assessing Property Value Impacts Near Utility-scale Solar in the Midwestern United States provided on the Resources page.

The project is located primarily on previously disturbed dairy and agricultural land, minimizing potential impacts to native vegetation and biological resources. No signs of desert tortoise were detected by recent surveys done within the project area. Additionally, long-term water use for the project will be significantly lower than historic dairy operations, providing a net benefit to groundwater resources connected to Ash Meadows and the Devils Hole ecosystem, which supports habitat for the endangered Devils Hole pupfish.

The project’s generation tie-line will undergo environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), including consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other relevant agencies. These studies will evaluate potential impacts to wildlife, habitat, and sensitive species, and mitigation measures will be implemented to avoid, minimize, or offset impacts where necessary.

For the private land portions of the project, environmental studies will be conducted in accordance with Nye County’s solar ordinance and applicable state and local requirements.

A Nye County Special Use Permit is required for the project in compliance with local ordinances. Construction also requires federal approvals for the gen-tie located on BLM land, including NEPA review and a Right-of-Way Grant from the BLM.

Permitting is expected to take approximately 2–4 years, depending on agency timelines. If approvals are secured as anticipated, construction could begin later in the decade, with the project potentially becoming operational around 2030.

Heat Island research has proven that solar projects do not raise ambient temperatures outside of the project boundaries. The modules and surrounding air may get a few degrees hotter in the sun, but the effect is highly localized.

PV panels, transformers, and cables do not emit electromagnetic interference due to their low-frequency (60 Hz) operation. The only component that may emit minimal electromagnetic interference is the inverter; however, its emissions are extremely low — comparable to common household appliances such as a toaster oven — and drop to background levels within approximately 150 feet.

Please see Electro-Magnetic Interference from Solar Photovoltaic Arrays provided on the Resources page.

Modern solar modules use anti-reflective glass to minimize glare and absorb sunlight, not reflect it. Given the project’s location away from airports and sensitive receptors, glare impacts to residences, roadways, or aviation activities are not anticipated.

During operations, the project equipment is not anticipated to produce noise that is perceptible from any nearby residences or buildings. The primary sound is from the inverters, which run only during daylight hours and are rarely audible from more than 150 to 200 feet away, meaning they’re not audible at the solar facility’s fence line.