Newsmax: Massive Mojave Desert, Calif. Solar Plant Heading for Closure Just 11 Years After Opening

DE LA GARZA A ░░░░░░░░ solar plant in California ░░░░░░░░ Mojave Desert once hailed ░░░░░░░░ the largest solar power ░░░░░░░░ of its kind in ░░░░░░░░ world but now it ░░░░░░░░ the facility is heading ░░░░░░░░ closure 11 years after ░░░░░░░░ opening Correspondent Heather Myers ░░░░░░░░ us live with more ░░░░░░░░ that Heather Myers Yeah ░░░░░░░░ the solar power plant ░░░░░░░░ called Ivanpah and at ░░░░░░░░ point it looks like ░░░░░░░░ will be shut down ░░░░░░░░ you mentioned after being ░░░░░░░░ for only 11 years ░░░░░░░░ a cloudy day like ░░░░░░░░ here in Southern California ░░░░░░░░ doesn t work as ░░░░░░░░ as its designers were ░░░░░░░░ that it would and ░░░░░░░░ it looks like it ░░░░░░░░ be shut down I ░░░░░░░░ want to show you ░░░░░░░░ video of just how ░░░░░░░░ this solar power plant ░░░░░░░░ This is in the ░░░░░░░░ Desert and it s ░░░░░░░░ square miles near the ░░░░░░░░ Nevada border It s ░░░░░░░░ up of 350 000 ░░░░░░░░ that are supposed to ░░░░░░░░ solar power into steam ░░░░░░░░ drives turbines which then ░░░░░░░░ the electrical grid It ░░░░░░░░ 2 2 billion dollars ░░░░░░░░ build It was opened ░░░░░░░░ 2014 but it s ░░░░░░░░ its fair share of ░░░░░░░░ right from the get ░░░░░░░░ For instance designers didn ░░░░░░░░ account for the number ░░░░░░░░ cloudy days in the ░░░░░░░░ which limits the solar ░░░░░░░░ Also the mirrors give ░░░░░░░░ so much heat that ░░░░░░░░ say it has become ░░░░░░░░ death trap for wildlife ░░░░░░░░ AP reports that one ░░░░░░░░ is killed every two ░░░░░░░░ flying over the mirrors ░░░░░░░░ now let s talk ░░░░░░░░ the cost issues Pacific ░░░░░░░░ and Electric is asking ░░░░░░░░ Public Utilities Commission to ░░░░░░░░ its contract with Ivanpah ░░░░░░░░ years early to save ░░░░░░░░ money Southern California Edison ░░░░░░░░ want out as well ░░░░░░░░ E says newer technology ░░░░░░░░ photovoltaic solar is cheaper ░░░░░░░░ much easier to build ░░░░░░░░ according to a report ░░░░░░░░ PBS Ivanpah is relying ░░░░░░░░ four to five times ░░░░░░░░ amount of natural gas ░░░░░░░░ ever anticipated using in ░░░░░░░░ to fire up those ░░░░░░░░ every morning And here ░░░░░░░░ the impact to customers ░░░░░░░░ Heritage report found that ░░░░░░░░ costs California consumers four ░░░░░░░░ five times the standard ░░░░░░░░ price for the electricity ░░░░░░░░ by the plant Now ░░░░░░░░ the Public Utilities Commission ░░░░░░░░ the request Pacific Gas ░░░░░░░░ Electric would sever its ░░░░░░░░ with Ivanpah in January ░░░░░░░░ next year Southern California ░░░░░░░░ is reportedly in talks ░░░░░░░░ buying out its contract ░░░░░░░░ live in San Diego ░░░░░░░░ m Heather Myers Bianca ░░░░░░░░ ll send it back ░░░░░░░░ you DE LA GARZA ░░░░░░░░ stuff Heather Good to ░░░░░░░░ you Thanks for that ░░░░░░░░ Myers Thanks DE LA ░░░░░░░░ in California.”