Windmill Power Bill Generates Debate

Windmill Power Bill Generates Debate

Mar 31 - Las Vegas Review-Journal

Nevada Power Co. is supporting a bill that would encourage homeowners and rural residents to install wind turbines on sites of one acre or more.

But the Howard Hughes Corp. and Lake Las Vegas developer Transcontinental Properties don't like the idea.

Assemblyman Joe Hardy, R-Boulder City, introduced the bill, which would allow homeowners to sell power from their own windmill to Nevada Power of Las Vegas and its affiliate, Sierra Pacific Power Co. of Reno.

During a hearing Wednesday before the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee, however, lobbyist Pamela Scott said the development companies don't believe wind turbines are suitable for urban and suburban areas.

Lobbyist Sabra Smith-Newby said the city of Las Vegas wanted the ability to restrict wind turbines but said the bill contained provisions that convinced the city to remain neutral on the bill.

The measure, Assembly Bill 236, would allow local governments to limit the level of noise from turbines and the height of turbines, according to advocate Jason Geddes.

Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, said some of today's wind turbines probably are not as noisy as air conditioners.

"A lot of these conservation moves are long overdue in my opinion," Giunchigliani said.

Jim Morris of Appropriate Energy said the bill should provide a financial incentive similar to one that is offered to homeowners who install solar power systems.

"Without an incentive program, probably nothing will happen (with wind projects)," Morris said.

Unlike large commercial wind farms that need transmission-line access to reach power customers, small farm and residential wind projects provide power to the user at the site, he said.

Geddes, who lives in northwest Reno, told the committee he intended to install a wind turbine that would generate enough power to pay for itself within three years, but he said the time required to recover the cost varies from place to place.

The measure would allow homeowners and farmers to use excess power generated from a wind turbine to offset any power they purchase from an electric utility, a provision known as net metering.

The governor's energy office, the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection and Sierra Club support the bill.

Judy Stokey, a lobbyist for Nevada Power and Sierra Pacific Power, said the utilities also support the legislation. She noted that it would allow a property owner to get net metering benefits for a facility capable of generating up to 150 kilowatts, up from the current limit of 30 kilowatts for solar projects. The new maximum would also apply to solar power facilities that generate excess electricity.

That is enough to power a strip shopping center or convenience store, Stokey said.

The utilities persuaded advocates to limit the total of all net metering plants to not more than 1 percent of the peak load of the utility, because customers with solar and wind power plants will not pay for some costs borne by other customers.

For customers served by Nevada Power, that would be about 50 megawatts, she said.

No action was taken on the bill Wednesday.

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