Silver State North will create hundreds of jobs, power more than 9,000 homes each year

September 20, 2011

Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid applauded today the Silver State North Solar Project in Clark County that is currently under construction. Silver State North will create more than 200 construction jobs and additional operations positions while generating state and local tax revenues. When the plant is fully operational in 2012, it will generate enough solar energy to power more than 9,000 Nevada homes each year.

"Silver State North is the latest example of a renewable energy project that will create good paying clean energy jobs while helping our nation become more energy independent," said Reid.  "I thank Secretary Salazar and the Department of Interior for their work approving and supporting this important project that will put Nevadans back to work."

This morning, U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar toured the project, which is the first major solar energy project approved on public land in Nevada. First Solar is developing Silver State North on approximately 600 acres of public land administered by the Bureau of Land Management in Clark County.

The successful permitting for this project came after Senator Reid joined with Secretary Salazar in June 2009 to announce that the Bureau of Land Management had identified multiple solar energy projects on public lands, including the Silver State North project, would receive "fast-track" status to help improve the permitting process.  Secretary Salazar subsequently approved the project in October of 2010.

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