Planning commission approves NV Solar Works special-use permit for large solar-plus-storage project

The Washoe County Planning Commission on Aug. 4 approved a special-use permit for the NV Solar Works project, a utility-scale solar and battery storage facility that would include up to 450 megawatts of photovoltaic generation, a 200-megawatt battery energy storage system, and a 345-kilovolt project substation.

Planner Julie Olander summarized the proposal and staff findings, noting the project’s scale and thresholds: the application requests grading over approximately 1,680 acres of ground disturbance and variances for parking, landscaping and taller transmission structures near the substation. Olander said staff is able to make the required findings for a project of regional significance and recommended approval with conditions.

Austin Moore, the developer representative, described the longer regulatory path required before construction, including Federal Energy Regulatory Commission interconnection procedures: "Once the LGIA is in, it will be at least a year before the interconnection is approved, possibly 2 or 3 years," he said, noting projects also require funding and that construction could be a multi‑year effort.

Public commenters included environmental and academic voices who urged the commission to attach strong stewardship and mitigation measures. Adi Sadeh, speaking for Protect Our Winters (Reno chapter), supported the project’s climate benefits but asked the county and developer to prioritize local hiring, revegetation and wildlife connectivity. Griffin Keenan, a UNR ecohydrology researcher, urged action on climate and cited project energy-output estimates to support approval.

After discussion and confirmation that the motion included required natural-resource findings under county code, the commission voted to approve the special-use permit with conditions. Staff will forward the decision as appropriate for subsequent regional review and to satisfy conditions in the staff report.

What happens next: the approval is subject to the conditions listed in the staff report and regional agency review; staff and the applicant indicated the project has a multi-year timeline contingent on interconnection approvals and funding.