Solar developers are seeking protections for proposed Nevada projects overlapping geothermal parcels in the state’s October 20 auction. BLM’s comment table and Reuters reporting document a dispute over pending development rights, not cancellation of the solar proposals.
NextEra told BLM that three proposed geothermal parcels overlap approximately 6,000 acres, or 60%, of its Sawtooth Energy Center project in Nye County. Its request sought removal, deferral or reconfiguration of the parcels before creation of a potentially incompatible leasehold interest. These figures describe the company’s stated project overlap, not the footprint of approved geothermal construction.
Leeward identified an approximately 735-acre overlap with its planned Lone Mountain project in Esmeralda County. The federal record shows that it wanted BLM to recognize both the overlap and the nonexclusive character of future geothermal surface-development rights. BLM responded that it added discussion and maps of overlapping solar projects.
Different rights, shared ground
In its response, BLM distinguishes exclusive access to geothermal resources from exclusive use of the land’s surface. The agency recommends coordination between operators. It also says a solar right-of-way approved first would hold senior rights, requiring later geothermal development to avoid impacts or compensate the solar company.
Reuters reported that BLM had declined NextEra’s earlier request to change the parcels, citing multiple-use management of federal land. The outlet also found that one parcel entirely overlapping Sawtooth appeared absent from the auction website. That reported observation is narrower than confirmation that all disputed parcels were withdrawn or that the companies reached an agreement.
The same report describes other proposed solar developments in the overlapping area and notes that the companies and BLM did not immediately answer its requests for comment. The published exchanges establish the parties’ recorded positions; they do not establish that practical conflicts between future layouts have been resolved.
The sale package’s right-of-way notices require applicable lessees to respect authorized access and maintenance and not interfere with those uses. Those parcel-specific protections concern existing authorizations; they should not be assumed to give a pending solar application the same status before approval.
Leasing does not settle construction
The Battle Mountain District’s project record lists an October 15 decision date, separate from the October 20 auction, and says leasing alone does not authorize surface development. Operators must submit further applications, and additional environmental analysis occurs at the geothermal drilling-permit stage. It describes updated assessment materials containing comment responses and land-use-authorization maps, making the relationship between existing applications and future activity part of the review record.
The auction’s notice separately reserves BLM’s right to withdraw parcels and attaches stipulations and special conditions. For affected Nevada communities, the consequential distinction is between obtaining a geothermal lease, securing a solar right-of-way and receiving permission for actual construction. None of those steps, by itself, demonstrates that the other proposed use has disappeared.
