"We're seeing massive electricity demand, especially from the great need for data centers, and we're seeing grid reliability issues, so all in all, I think this was a wise move,"
"Having said that, I think reasonable people can differ on this one - it's a closer call."
Ivanpah's owners, including NRG Energy, Google and BrightSource, had agreed with Pacific Gas & Electric to end their contract and largely close Ivanpah, but the California Public Utilities Commission unanimously rejected that agreement because of grid reliability concerns. The decision forces two of three units to remain running rather than shut down this year. PG&E and the federal government argued closure would save ratepayers and taxpayers money compared with paying for Ivanpah's electricity until 2039. The 386-megawatt plant uses about 170,000 mirrors to concentrate sunlight onto towers. The plant is costly, technologically superseded, and kills thousands of birds annually. California cited rising electricity demand, especially from data centers and AI, as justification to keep it operating for at least 13 more years.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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