The site is in the Hyder Valley, north of Interstate 8, east of the town of Hyder, and west of the Oatman Mountains in Maricopa County, Arizona.  The site is about 85 miles southwest of Phoenix.

The BLM is in the process of preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS). 

The proposal is to use parabolic trough solar collectors.  In this technology, each collector focuses sunlight on a heat collection element. The collectors track the sun from east to west each day. A heat transfer fluid is heated as it passes through the element and then is circulated through a series of heat exchangers to generate high-pressure steam. The steam powers a generator to produce electricity.

Both wet-cooled and dry-cooled options are being considered and will be addressed in the EIS. The maximum water use is estimated at 2,800 acre-feet per year.

Pacific Solar Investments is considering using thermal energy storage. Under that technology, molten salt is heated and then stored in insulated tanks. The heat could be used to generate electricity after sunset.

Pacific Solar Investments is planning two phases of construction. Phase 1 plans calls for a 200 MW power plant, with a 28-month estimated construction period.  Phase 2 would include a 125 MW power plant to be built over 24 months. Construction of the two phases is anticipated to have about a four-month overlap.

Here is the project timeline:

Draft EIS released to public: mid-2013

Final EIS released to public: early 2014

Record of Decision: Spring 2014

To get additional information, or to submit a comment on the project, use one of these methods:

Send an email to HyderValley_Solar@blm.gov,

OR

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