Sierra Pacific Power is donating a 30,000-volt photovoltaic solar power system to Great Basin College in Elko. The system will provide electricity for the community college's new Electrical and Industrial Technology Building scheduled to begin construction next month. 

The value of the donation, including equipment, project design and installation, is approximately $300,000, according to Greg Brorby, director of hub operations for Sierra Pacific's eastern district. The utility's contribution was announced during a fund raising event at the Elko campus on June 7.    
 
"This photovoltaic system donation is part of our ongoing effort to increase the use of renewable energy throughout the State of Nevada, and to demonstrate its use,"Sierra Pacific Power President Jeff Ceccarelli stated in a letter to Great Basin College President Dr. Paul Killpatrick."We consider this a great fit with other scholarship and capital support programs Sierra Pacific has funded with Great Basin College throughout the years.” 

John Hargrove, project manager for Energy Efficiency and Conservation at Sierra Pacific, said the photovoltaic system would be one of the largest customer-owned photovoltaic systems in northern Nevada and could reduce the annual electric bill for the building by approximately $5,000 to $6,000.

The photovoltaic panels or"arrays"will be mounted on poles adjacent to the building, Hargrove said.

The Electrical and Industrial Building will include high tech classrooms, a lab and offices for the electrical technology, instrumentation and surveying programs at the college.  

College officials said they expect to have the building completed by the start of the fall semester of 2007.

Sierra Pacific is actively involved in promoting the use of customer-owned solar technology in northern Nevada. The company's SolarGenerations program (www.SolarGenerations.com) offers rebates to customers who invest in photovoltaic systems for their homes and businesses.