Tucson lawmaker to inspect North America's largest solar photovoltaic installation with Mayor Bob Walkup, ACC's Kris Mayes, TEP's Steve Lynn and D-M's Col. Kent Laughbaum
U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords on Friday will lead a solar fact-finding trip to Nevada's Nellis Air Force Base, home of North America's largest operational solar photovoltaic system.
The $100 million, 14 megawatt solar plant was inaugurated in December 2007. It will supply more than a quarter of the total electricity used at the base, save about $1 million annually and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 24,000 tons.
Built on 140 acres of desert outside of Las Vegas, the plant's giant photovoltaic array includes panels of silicon wafers that rotate to follow the sun across the sky. The electricity they generate will be used by the 12,000 people who live and work at Nellis.
Giffords, a member of the House Science and Technology Committee, wants to explore how to replicate the plant at Tucson's Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Giffords recently held a congressional field hearing in Tucson on utility-scale solar power. She has been called "a special champion of solar legislation" by the Arizona Republic.
Joining Giffords on the nine-hour trip will be Mayor Bob Walkup of Tucson, Kris Mayes of the Arizona Corporation Commission, Steve Lynn of Tucson Electric Power, and Col. Kent Laughbaum, commander of D-M's 355th Fighter Wing.