WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) announced a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant award of $95,000,000 to help Nevada Gold Mines (NGM) install solar power and battery storage to generate clean electricity at three mine sites in Elko, Humboldt, and Eureka counties. Senator Rosen and Cortez Masto voted to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which includes programs to fund clean energy development on current and former mining sites.
“Nevada has the most solar jobs per capita in the nation, which is why I’ve been leading bipartisan efforts in the Senate to support our state’s solar industry.” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to announce major funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, that I helped write and pass, is coming to Nevada to bring clean energy to our mine sites through solar power and battery storage. I’ll always fight for solar investments in Nevada and the good-paying jobs they create in rural economies.”
“Solar in Nevada is booming and this grant funding will create new jobs and spur clean energy generation across the state,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I’ve advocated for programs to help support our mining industry while curbing emissions, because I know how critical these investments are to our rural economies and for a sustainable future.”
The DOE’s Clean Energy Demonstration Program on Current and Former Mine Land (CEML) in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is providing $450 million to clean energy projects on current and former mine land. This project will support Nevada Gold Mine’s transition from using power from a coal plant to a dual fuel process, generating electricity from natural gas and solar. This project will eliminate over 3.5 million tons of carbon emissions over the project’s lifetime and is expected to create 300 jobs and will include training and internship opportunities.
Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto have worked to support good-paying clean energy jobs and ensure Nevada receives funding to upgrade its energy infrastructure. Senator Cortez Masto ensured that the Inflation Reduction Act included robust funding to support renewable energy projects. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen helped pass, includes robust funding to strengthen the country’s electrical grids. This law also includes Senator Rosen’s Cyber Sense Act, which created a DOE program to test the cybersecurity of products and technologies used in the energy sector. Senator Rosen led the push in the Senate to protect the solar industry from job-killing tariffs and both Senators have fought to support domestic solar manufacturing.
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