Switch, a major data center operator in Nevada, has proposed building a 510-megawatt natural gas power plant on a 20-acre site at the former Sierra Biofuels Refinery in the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center. The project, initially filed in June by Nexus Fulcrum LLC, was updated in October to show Switch as both the intended off-taker and ultimate owner of the plant. The facility would support expanded data center development in the TRIC, a 107,000-acre industrial park in Storey County.
According to filings, the plant would use nine gas turbines and require 10,000 to 20,000 gallons of water per day during construction, with an annual water use of 145 acre feet, or 47 million gallons, over its life cycle. Construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027 and finish in 2029. The project aims to bypass the long utility queue for large load customers, which can take two to three years or more due to infrastructure needs.
The Public Utilities Commission of Nevada held a hearing on the proposal and received public comments. Washoe County resident Jeff Carlton warned the PUC that residents would 'come at you with everything we legally can if you proceed with this,' urging full environmental reviews and consideration of health impacts on schools and employment. Helena Coughlin, also a Washoe County resident, said she is 'extremely concerned' about the plant, stating it is 'NOT in the best interest for the people who reside in this part of Nevada' and questioning the use of large amounts of pure water in a desert environment.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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