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8h ago

Ivanpah Solar Tower Plant to Begin Shutdown in 2026 Pending Regulatory Approval

Cheaper photovoltaic economics following PG&E’s contract termination prompted NRG to seek deactivation of the Mojave Desert project.

NIPTON, CA - AUGUST 26: In an aerial view, a boiler tower is surrounded by mirrors at the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in the Mojave Desert on August 26, 2022 near Nipton, California. As drought, wildfires and monsoonal desert flash floods worsen in California, the development of solar energy farms has become prioritized as a means to lessen some of the worst impacts of human-caused climate change. Ironically, this "green energy" is harming the environment as it sprawls across pristine desert land, which stores carbon in the ground. California deserts account for nearly 10 percent of the states carbon sequestration. The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System is one of the biggest but has been challenged by reports that thousands of birds have been incinerated mid-flight by intense heat in the concentrated sun rays that are reflected to giant boiler towers. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
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Overview

  • NRG Energy says the facility will start closing units in early 2026 pending California Public Utility Commission approval, with decommissioning enabling potential conversion to photovoltaic power.
  • The concentrated solar thermal plant never exceeded about 75% of its planned annual output and has required natural gas for operations, according to industry analysis and local reporting.
  • PG&E terminated its power purchase agreements in January 2025, stating that ending the deals now would save customers compared with keeping them through 2039.
  • The project cost about $2.2 billion and received $1.6 billion in Department of Energy loan guarantees, entering service in 2014 with an expected 30-year life.
  • The Interior Department acknowledges avian mortality at the site, while the Association of Avian Veterinarians estimates at least 6,000 bird deaths per year.