Trump geothermal lease sale collides with planned Nevada solar farms
NEE•The Interior Department plans to auction 83 Nevada geothermal parcels covering 265,691 acres, including land that overlaps planned solar projects. NextEra said parcels overlap about 6,000 acres, or 60%, of its proposed 1,000-megawatt Sawtooth Energy Center.
1. Solar project overlap
NextEra asked the Bureau of Land Management to remove, defer or reconfigure three proposed geothermal parcels, saying they overlap about 6,000 acres of its planned Sawtooth Energy Center in Nye County. The agency denied the request in August, saying federal lands are managed for multiple uses.
2. Auction details
The auction is scheduled for Tuesday and includes 83 parcels totaling 265,691 acres. BLM website maps show six proposed geothermal parcels overlapping four planned solar developments. One parcel that entirely overlaps the Sawtooth project appeared to have been removed from the sale.
3. Other proposed projects
Leeward Renewable Energy said a geothermal parcel overlaps about 735 acres of its proposed Lone Mountain solar project. BLM added descriptions and maps of overlapping projects, including the proposed 300-MW Nivloc project and 1,500-MW Gold Dust project. BLM canceled environmental review of the broader Esmeralda 7 complex in 2025, but said the projects may reapply individually.
