NV Energy

Douglas County authorities say three fires Sunday in the Gardnerville Ranchos area may have been deliberately set and are asking anyone for information to contact them.

East Fork Fire and Paramedic District were called to a vegetation fire Sunday, 1:39 a.m. in a vacant lot behind 1309 Langley Ave, Gardnerville. The fire ignited a NV Energy power pole and cut power to a 16 unit apartment building, said Douglas County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Pat Brooks.  

With the August completion of a 180-kW rooftop array at Western Nevada College in Carson City, nonprofit Black Rock Solar has reached the milestone of building five megawatts of solar power capacity across the state of Nevada. The 83 clean energy projects built by Black Rock Solar since its 2007 founding include arrays for schools, hospitals, food banks, homeless shelters and Native American tribes. These arrays have been built at little or no cost to the recipients, but now provide more than $725,000 of combined savings annually on the organizations’ energy bills.

UPDATE 4:45PM: An Urban and Small Stream Flood Advisory is in effect until 6:45 p.m. for Carson City, according to the National Weather Service. At 4:23 p.m. street flooding from heavy rain and hail earlier this afternoon was subsiding. However, showers and thunderstorms will continue to move into the Carson City area through this evening. Rainfall on saturated soils may lead to additional street flooding along with rapid rises on creeks and drainage ditches.

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Have you been noticing how high your electric bills are? Thinking about how nice it would be to have solar panels, without the high cost of installation? If you are dreaming of adding solar panels to your home, then you may be in luck.

FISH, the local nonprofit that provides food, instruction, shelter, and health care to those in need is partnering with Black Rock Solar to give FISH donors the chance to win a solar array.

UPDATE: NV Energy reports power fully restored Friday morning after outage in Dayton affects 2,114 customers.

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UPDATE: NV Energy reports power being restored to the south and east of Dayton Valley Airpark. As of 11:17 p.m. there were 936 customers without power.
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UPDATE: As of 10:50 p.m. there's been more reported outages, back up to 1,672 customers south and east of Dayton Valley Airpark.

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UPDATE: As of 9 p.m. 942 NV Energy customers remain without power south of Dayton Valley Airpark.

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Since 2009, Western Nevada College has actively sought ways to be sustainable in the operation of its campuses. Through continuing efforts and a commitment to use green energy, that vision is rising to new heights.

Black Rock Solar, a nonprofit corporation in Reno that specializes in expanding the use of renewable energy, just completed installation of 666 panels atop the Bristlecone Building on the Carson City campus. At 180 kilowatts, the project is Black Rock’s largest roof array to date.

NV Energy has petitioned the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada with the hopes of recovering $78 million in costs associated with implementation of electric and gas smart meters in Northern Nevada.

A hearing on the matter is set for today, Wednesday, July 23, at 6 p.m. in Hearing Room A of the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada, 1150 E. William St. in Carson City.

Carson City firefighters were called to Elm and Crain streets near the base of C-Hll at around 3 p.m. for a power line that was down. The line was said to be live and sitting in both lanes of traffic. The road was closed in the area and Carson City sheriff's officers are re-directing traffic.

NV Energy has been notified. It is unknown what brought the power line down. Winds are calm, about 8 mph from the northwest.

UPDATE 8:04PM: Firefighters called to a brush fire in the area of Duck Hill. Firefighters were alerted of smoke seen in the Goni Road area.

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UPDATE 7:35PM: About 70 NV customers in the Indian Hills area remain without power, according to NV Energy. There are three other areas without power: East Corbett, with 5 customers, Hiko Court, 28, and South Curry, 13.

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UPDATE: 6:27PM: A power outage continues in the area off of North Roop and William Street, also affecting John Street, according to NV Energy spokesman Karl Walquist. About 176 customers are without power there. Estimated time for it to be restored is around 8:15 p.m.

Another power outage, affecting 15 customers, is near South Curry Street between Fifth Street and Fairview. Both outages were likely caused by lightning strikes, Walquist said.

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UPDATE 6:10 PM: The two fires in Kings Canyon have been extinguished thanks to rain and citizens who helped in the firefighting efforts, said Carson City Fire Chief Stacey Giomi.

The Ash Canyon fire is the only one burning right now, he said. It is high up into the canyon and about 1/2 mile off of the trail. Firefighters are hiking into the area. The good news is the heavy rain aided in knocking down much of the smoke and flame, he said.

A handful of firefighters remain in the field behind Little and Roop. That fire burned about 1/2 an acre and came close to nearby homes but heavy rain and hail moved in just in time to help knock it down, Giomi said. It is currently being mopped up.

NV Energy has petitioned the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada with the hopes of recovering $78 million in costs associated with implementation of electric and gas smart meters in Northern Nevada.

A hearing on the matter is set for Wednesday, July 23, at 6 p.m. in Hearing Room A of the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada, 1150 E. William St.

UPDATE: NV Energy reports 621 customers are without power after winds caused damage to power lines. Spokeswoman Faye Anderson said she hopes to narrow down the affected areas soon. Readers report the outage continues as of around 5 p.m. around the northwest side of town.

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UPDATE: National Weather Service meteorologist Zach Tolby said Carson City experienced a "gust front" shortly after 4 this afternoon, bringing strong winds and kicking up walls of dust in town. Much of the front has moved out of the area and, as of 4:30 p.m., was south of Reno.

UPDATE: Carson City Supervisors agreed Thursday to opt in on Nevada's medical marijuana law regarding establishments of dispensaries and facilities. The board voted 4 to 1 in favor of zoning changes that allow for medical marijuana establishments in zoned areas. Go here for the full story.

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The second reading of a proposed zoning ordinance allowing for marijuana dispensaries and facilities for cultivation, production and testing will go before the Carson City Board of Supervisors on Thursday during an evening session.

A consumer session to discuss NV Energy's proposed rate decrease for Northern Nevada electric and gas customers will be presented by the Public Utilities Commission of Nevada on Wednesday, June 25, 6 p.m. in Carson City.

For electric customers in Northern Nevada, NV Energy proposes to cut rates an estimated 11.78 percent across all rate classes. The average monthly residential bill is estimated to decrease $5.64, or 6.04 percent. For gas customers in Reno and Sparks, NV Energy proposes to decrease rates an estimated 0.12 percent across all rate classes.

UPDATE: With the July 4 holiday weekend approaching, Nevada Rural Counties RVSP is planning a spectacular fireworks celebration over Carson City to go along with its 22nd annual holiday carnival at Mills Park.

At least five residents have filed reports with the Carson City Sheriff's Office in the past two days after a telephone scam that involved so-called NV Energy bill collectors. Of the five complaints being investigated, three residents were defrauded of several hundred dollars, a deputy said Wednesday.

The Nevada Business Group on Health announces its Building Common Knowledge presentation on the topic of Value-Based Benefit Design, a health benefit savings strategy that draws on a variety of incentive strategies that address the way health insurance plans are structured and utilized by employees and their dependents.

The seminar, led by benefit design thought-leader and Executive Director of the Mississippi Business Group on Health, Murray Harber will be held at noon at the Atlantis Hotel and Casino on June 12, 2014.

From the front, St. Mary’s Art and Retreat Center is the epitome of Virginia City’s Old West heritage. But take a peak around back and you’ll find an energy source that’s anything but old-fashioned.

Reno nonprofit Black Rock Solar just completed construction of a 110-panel ground-mount photovoltaic array at the National Historic Landmark, built in 1875. The 30-kW array will generate enough energy to cover almost all the electricity costs of the former Comstock hospital.

One person was taken by Care Flight to Renown Medical Center after a crash in Douglas County Tuesday afternoon that involved a semi-truck and trailer loaded with cattle.

The accident happened at the intersection of State Route 88 and Waterloo Lane, closing Mottsville Lane, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. A power pole was knocked down in the crash that affected more than 2,000 NV Energy customers.

The public is invited to the 2014 Nevada Poetry Out Loud Competition State Finals at the Siena Hotel Spa Casino Ballroom in Reno Saturday, March 15, from noon to 3 p.m.

Fifteen students who gained the status of district finalists after a series of local competitions will vie for awards totaling $4,000 for the first, second and third place winners and their respective schools.

Black Rock Solar began construction in late February on two new Carson City area photovoltaic arrays: 324 ground-mounted panels at Sierra Lutheran High School and 193 rooftop panels at Silver State Charter Schools.

That means 135 kW of clean energy from the sun powering the 91-student Christian school and the 7th to 12th-grade charter school. It also means an annual utility-bill savings of more than $19,000 for the two schools – that’s $19,000 that can go toward expanded educational opportunities within the Carson City and Douglas County communities.

Northern Nevada Development Authority is proud to announce that LaBudde Group, through their Nevada subsidiary Clean Dried Processing, has expanded to Northern Nevada. Clean Dried Processing has opened a 150,000 square foot dual purpose manufacturing and distribution facility in Silver Springs.

A vote lowering the basic service charge for NV Energy customers in Northern Nevada turned out to be a hollow victory after the utility said it would raise its fee for electricity to make up the difference.

This is an annual reminder for fishing in nearby waters: Feb. 8 is the opening day of the 2014 fishing seasons for the following waters in Lyon County:

NV Energy has been experiencing power outages since Wednesday night in Carson City, Douglas County and in the Yerington area.

In the Smith Valley area around 500 customers were without power beginning at around 8 a.m., Thursday morning including customers in Topaz Ranch Estates. The outage is due to downed wires, said NV Energy spokeswoman Faye Andersen.

The Nevada Business Group on Health, a non-profit organization dedicated to representing more than 70 Northern Nevada employers and their employees in matter related to cost-effective health, health care and health insurance products and services, has appointed Denise Darling, director of finance at Carson Nugget Casino in Carson City, to its board of directors.

A power outage affected 1,025 NV Energy customers early Sunday morning in the East Carson City and Mound House areas.

NV Energy Spokeswoman Stefanie McCaffrey said there were three separate outages early Sunday morning caused by an underground fault indicator that failed.

Drivers of electric vehicles now have a free charging station at the Carson City Community Center, thanks to a partnership between the Governor’s Office of Energy, NV Energy and Carson City Public Works.

The newly-installed electric vehicle charging station can be found at Carson City’s Mills Park, in the parking lot between the Community Center and Aquatics Center.

Just in time for Thanksgiving, Reno-based nonprofit Black Rock Solar has completed installation of a 130-panel photovoltaic array on the roof of Friends in Service Helping in Carson City.

That means 28 kilowatts of clean energy helping FISH provide medical services, groceries, showers, clean clothes, and yes, a Thanksgiving meal to those in the capital city who need it most.

Employers wanting to know about what to expect from the Affordable Care Act are invited to a Carson City luncheon next month hosted by the Nevada Business Group on Health.

The “Look into Your Future” luncheon on Dec. 4 will feature guest speaker Russ Sullivan, attorney and vice president of Health Care Solutions for the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, who will present an interactive session that draws upon lessons from Massachusetts’ seven-year health care reform experience. Sullivan will provide insight into how to prepare for the changes ahead.

Finding ordinary magic just became a little easier for Amanda Aldridge, who teaches high school English in the agricultural community of Yerington, 80 miles outside of Reno. Thanks to money awarded through the Nevada Poetry Out Loud Program, a national poetry recitation competition for high school students, Aldridge added $500 in her budget for resources to help students overcome fears and experience the magic of poetry.