11 years after a celebrated opening, massive solar plant faces a bleak future in the Mojave Desert

An array of mirrors at the Ivanpah solar electric generating site is shown near Primm, Nev., Aug. 13, 2014. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

LOS ANGELES — What was once the world’s largest solar power plant of its type appears headed for closure just 11 years after opening, under pressure from cheaper green energy sources. Meanwhile, environmentalists continue to blame the Mojave Desert plant for killing thousands of birds and tortoises.

The Ivanpah solar power plant formally opened in 2014 on roughly five square miles (13 square kilometres) of federal land near the California-Nevada border. Though it was hailed at the time as a breakthrough moment for clean energy, its power has been struggling to compete with cheaper solar technologies.

Pacific Gas & Electric said in a statement it had agreed with owners — including NRG Energy Inc. — to terminate its contracts with the Ivanpah plant. If approved by regulators, the deal would lead to closing two of the plant’s three units starting in 2026. The contracts were expected to run through 2039.

“PG&E determined that ending the agreements at this time will save customers money,” the company said in a statement on its website.

Southern California Edison, which buys the rest of the power from the three-unit plant, is in discussions with owners and the U.S. Energy Department regarding a buyout of its Ivanpah contract.

The plant appears likely to become a high-profile loser in the race to develop new types of clean energy in the era of climate change.

The Ivanpah plant uses a technology known as solar-thermal, or concentrated solar, in which nearly 350,000 computer-controlled mirrors roughly the size of a garage door reflect sunlight to boilers atop 459-foot towers. The sun’s power is used to heat water in the boilers’ tubes and make steam, which drives turbines to create electricity.

NRG said in a statement that the project was successful, but unable to compete with rival photovoltaic solar technology — such as rooftop panels — which have much lower capital and operating costs.

Initially “the prices were competitive but advancements over time in photovoltaics and battery storage have led to more efficient, cost effective and flexible options for producing reliable clean energy,” NRG added.

A post on the PG&E website said that Ivanpah’s “technology had worked on a smaller scale in Europe.” But over time, it couldn’t match the lower prices of photovoltaic technology.

The plant has long been criticized for the environmental tradeoffs that came with large-scale energy production in the sensitive desert region. Rays from the plant’s mirrors have been blamed for incinerating thousands of birds. Conservation groups tried to stop construction on the site because of threats to tortoises.

“The Ivanpah plant was a financial boondoggle and environmental disaster,” Julia Dowell of the Sierra Club said in an email.

“Along with killing thousands of birds and tortoises, the project’s construction destroyed irreplaceable pristine desert habitat along with numerous rare plant species,” Dowell said. “While the Sierra Club strongly supports innovative clean energy solutions and recognizes the urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels, Ivanpah demonstrated that not all renewable technologies are created equal.”

There were other early problems. After its much-hyped opening, the plant didn’t produce as much electricity as expected for a simple reason: the sun wasn’t shining as much as expected.

The plant can be a startling sight for drivers heading toward Las Vegas from Southern California along busy Interstate 15. Amid miles of rock and scrub, its vast array of mirrors can create the image of a shimmering lake atop the desert floor, but depending on the angle of the sun and mirrors, it could also be blinding.

If the PG&E agreement is approved, NRG said the units will be decommissioned, “providing an opportunity for the site to potentially be repurposed for renewable (photovoltaic) energy production.” The company did not respond to questions about the projected cost or what would become of the equipment at the site.

Michael R. Blood, The Associated Press