The U.S. renewable energy sector faces another setback as the government has officially halted a major solar project in Nevada. This marks the latest move by President Trump to restrict the development of renewable energy.
The project, which had the potential to become one of the world’s largest solar power plants, is now effectively canceled. According to updates from the Bureau of Land Management, the Esmeralda Seven Solar Power Plant has been marked as “canceled.” Developed by a consortium that includes NextEra Energy Inc. and Invenergy, the project encompassed seven solar facilities spread across 118,000 acres (approximately 477.53 square kilometers) of federal land northwest of Las Vegas.
Originally, the project was slated to become one of the largest solar power stations in the world. In a statement, the U.S. Department of the Interior indicated that developers can now choose to “submit separate project proposals to the U.S. Geological Survey for more effective analysis of potential impacts.” This decision comes as the department reviews permits and other requirements for the construction of wind and solar power plants on public land, with critics arguing that these actions hinder the development of clean energy projects on federal land.
The announcement also included a directive requiring Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to personally sign 69 approval documents related to wind and solar projects, along with an energy capacity density standard that solar projects may struggle to meet. In a statement, NextEra affirmed its commitment to conducting a comprehensive environmental assessment of its projects in close collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management.
The Esmeralda Seven project was one of several significant clean energy initiatives promoted during the administration of former President Biden. However, since Trump’s return to office, efforts by the Biden administration to advance renewable energy have faced increasing resistance. “All solar projects on public land in the state are now stalled, not just this one,” stated Patrick Donnelly, head of the Center for Biodiversity in Nevada.
Trump’s administration has long been known for its aversion to renewable energy projects, tightening federal permitting policies for wind, solar, and hydroelectric projects. On August 20, Trump publicly declared on his social media platform, TruthSocial, that his administration would no longer approve new wind or solar projects, claiming they were part of a “century scam.” He asserted, “Any state relying on wind and solar energy has seen record increases in electricity and energy costs. This is the scam of the century! We will no longer approve wind and solar projects that harm farmers’ interests!”
However, data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows that, amid rising electricity shortages in the U.S., wind and solar are the fastest-growing energy sectors, accounting for 17% of the total electricity generation in the country last year.
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