BRIGHTSOURCE ENERGY, LLC SOLAR PROJECTS ("HIDDEN HILLS")

Companies affiliated with BrightSource Energy, LLC, have proposed two solar thermal power plants in the Charleston View area, in southeast Inyo County.  Each facility will consist of an array of mirrors situated around an approximately 700-foot tower accommodating a boiler and related facilities.  The mirrors will reflect sunlight to the boiler at the top of the tower, and heated water from the boiler will circulate to a generating station. 

County documents for the projects will be posted as they become available.  Please note that the California Energy Commission (CEC) has permitting jurisdiction over the project, with project information provided on their website at http://www.energy.ca.gov/sitingcases/hiddenhills/index.html     In addition, transmission lines and a gas pipeline through Nevada are proposed for the project, and these project components will be permitted by the Bureau of Land Managmeent and other agencies in Nevada.

• Public Information Article by Jon Klusmire
• Presentation (PowerPoint) to Board of Supervisors on BrightSource Energy's "Hidden Hills" Solar Projects, March 13, 2012  (NOTE: a PowerPoint viewer is required to view this file; a viewer can be downloaded free from Microsoft at http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=13)
• Inyo County Planning Department Letter to BrightSource Energy, March 9, 2012
• Inyo County Planning Department Letter to California Energy Commission (CEC), February 27, 2012
• Inyo County Planning Department Letter to BrightSource Energy, February 23, 2012
• Socio-Economic Impact Analysis Provided by Various Inyo County Departments
• Notice of Intent to Prepare Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): "Valley Electric Association's Hidden Hills Transmission Project"
• BOS Comment Letter, December 6, 2011
• BOS Agenda Item, December 6, 2011
• Ordinance 1158, Adding Title 21 to Inyo County Code
• BOS Letter to California Energy Commission (CEC), November 29, 2011