Desert solar project now feeding power to Las Vegas casinos

A major renewable energy milestone has been attained in the Nevada desert as the Escape Solar and Storage Project begins distributing clean power to numerous landmark Las Vegas Strip casino and entertainment buildings. Located in Lincoln County, this utility-scale solar tacility is currently playing a direct part in decarbonizing one of the most energy-intensive entertainment areas in the United States.

The Escape Solar and Storage Project has a 400 megawatt-hour (MWh) battery energy storage system in addition to 185 megawatts (MW) of solar energy. Four major clients get its output under long-term contracts: Overton Power District No. 5, Caesars Entertainment, Wynn Las Vegas, and MGM Resorts International.

In addition to producing electricity, the battery storage allows the project to store extra solar energy during peak daylight hours for later usage, which smoothes the supply for 24-hour casinos and resorts.

Jill Daniel, CEO of Estuary Power, the company that developed and owns Escape Solar and Storage, is leading this endeavor. Estuary managed development, obtained funding, and completed the challenging project ahead of schedule under her direction. The accomplishment, according to Daniel, is evidence of Estuary's "creativity, agility, and disciplined execution" in building extensive energy infrastructure.

With support from financial partners like Ullico Infrastructure Fund, Estuary Power, a mostly female-owned business, has established a reputation for taking on difficult renewable projects that combine generation with grid resilience. This solar-plus-storage project demonstrated how utility-scale solar project delivery has advanced in the United States and required tight collaboration with construction partners, such as Bechtel Infrastructure & Power Corporation and battery system supplier Tesla.

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MGM Resorts has been an outspoken supporter of renewable energy, and when paired with its current 100 MW Mega Solar Array, the Escape project has already assisted the corporation in achieving 100% solar power coverage for its daytime electricity needs on the Las Vegas Strip. In addition to supporting long-term environmental goals and protecting the resorts from fluctuations in energy prices, this integrated strategy strengthens cost stability.

"The new Escape Solar and Storage Project, along with our Mega Solar Array, reflects our focus on scalable, impactful clean-energy solutions," stated Bill Hornbuckle, President and CEO of MGM Resorts, highlighting how these collaborations allow major energy consumers to run more sustainably.