Switch Station 1 and Switch Station 2

Project Overview

Switch Station 1 and Switch Station 2 are the located on 1,797 acres of land in the Bureau of Land Management’s Dry Lake Solar Energy Zone at Apex, Nevada, approximately 15 miles north of Las Vegas. The 100- and 79-megawatt (MW) alternating current (AC) projects are the first operating photovoltaic (PV) projects sited in a federal Solar Energy Zone (SEZ). Collectively, they provide enough power to meet the consumption of approximately 46,000 Nevada homes. This is equivalent to avoiding more than 265,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually, which represents the greenhouse gas emissions from 52,000 passenger vehicles driven over the course of one year.

Switch Station 1 and Switch Station 2 consist of nearly two million PV panels manufactured with First Solar’s advanced thin film semiconductor technology. The projects created approximately 1,300 construction jobs and five ongoing positions, and continue to benefit businesses in the area. First Solar acted as the developer and engineering, procurement, and construction contractor, and will operate and maintain the facility over its lifetime. The project was sold to EDF Renewable Energy and J.P.Morgan, and NV Energy is contracted to purchase the facility’s electricity output, which will be used to power Switch’s Nevada data centers.

Switch Station 1 and Switch Station 2 demonstrate leadership for Nevada in the utility-scale solar market, helping to meet renewable energy goals for the state while providing the cleanest, most affordable PV solar energy on the market.

Project Benefits

• Generated wages and benefits for 1,300 construction jobs and five ongoing positions, and continues to benefit businesses in the area
• Generates millions in state and local tax revenues
• Provides power to meet the electricity needs of Switch’s Nevada data centers
• Generates clean renewable energy and protects air quality in the region