December 17, 2025
After a five-month freeze, the Trump administration is allowing a major solar energy project to proceed. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management issued a decision report on December 15, a series of revisions to the Libra Solar project in southwestern Nevada will be authorized.
Located about 20 miles south of the Fort Churchill substation in Yerington, Nevada, the $2.33 billion, 700 MW solar + storage project was originally approved during the Biden administration in September 2024. However, regulatory changes under President Donald Trump left Libra Solar indefinitely on hiatus for more than a year.
Dozens of large-scale solar projects have been lining up for permits since Trump took office in January. This was the first project BLM has approved since July.
BLM’s decision to modify the Libra Solar project includes gen-tie realignments, expanded draw and tension locations, closure and rerouting of State Route 2C, updated solar block layout and revised stormwater management. These changes are within the scope of the final Environmental Assessment and Decision 2024 of the Libra Solar project. The amended plan means the Libra Solar project could begin construction next year, according to BLM.
Projects at a glance
Developed by Arevia powerthe Libra Solar project, the largest solar and battery storage project in Nevada history. The project consists of a nominal 700 MWac solar power generation facility and a 700 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) on 5,778 acres of BLM-managed land in Mineral County, Nevada.
The project would be built using solar panels mounted on horizontal single-axis tracker structures, combined with an integrated BESS installation. The ROW application includes a larger area than necessary for the solar field to allow for adjustments in the facility layout to minimize environmental impacts, based on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis.
In September 2024, Arevia Power received a Record of Decision (ROD) from the US Department of the Interior for the Libra Solar project. This groundbreaking project, worth more than $2.33 billion, is expected to produce 1,948,000 MWh per year.
“This project demonstrates the potential of renewable energy to fuel economic development while addressing climate change,” U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford (D-Nev.) said in 2024. “The Libra Solar Project will create more than 1,000 good-paying jobs for Mineral and Lyon counties and deliver long-term benefits to our communities. I am pleased to see Nevada leading the way in renewable energy production.”
The ROD approved the priority grant for the project, including the construction and operation of the solar photovoltaic plant and associated infrastructure. The Libra Solar project was originally expected to be completed by the end of 2027. A new estimated delivery date has not yet been announced.
Keywords: allow, utility scale
