How is Las Vegas Powered?
Las Vegas Receives Power From Multiple Sources, But Any Hotel Or Business That Wants To Make Money, Has Standby Power To Combat Outages!
Las Vegas is a huge consumer of power. The provider for this power is NV Energy, which recently released their 2017 figures.
The utility has 1.2 million customers, not including a state tourist population of 43 million annually. The territory is more than 4,000 square miles. The city is divided into Northern and Southern sectors. The sectors see peak loads of 1,824 megawatts in the north and 5,929 megawatts in the south.
Power is drawn from the national electrical grid. More than 6,000 power generation plants supply electricity and are powered by:
- Coal
- Natural Gas
- Solar
- Water (Hydro-Electric
The city center hotel and casino complex is so large that it has an off-grid power plant. The Hoover Dam generates more than 4-billion megawatts of electricity annually. However, other states consume approximately 95% of the production.
Boulder Solar 1, came online on December 12, 2018. This solar project was in construction for ten years. The power plant provides electricity to the 140 city buildings and streetlights in Las Vegas.
Generators Provide Critical Backup Power for Casinos
Las Vegas has a large quantity of power plants of different styles. The city is not excluded from power outages. When power is lost to the residential sector, risks range from convenience to health issues. High temperatures without the benefit of air conditioning can contribute to health problems.
When power fails in a full-service casino, the casino can suffer large financial losses in a short time span.
Casinos see losses of revenue coming from gambling, hotel rooms, restaurants and safety concerns are also escalated. Only standby generators can stop the loss of revenue.
In late December 2017, a fire in a service elevator knocked out power to the 2,500-room Rio casino. A backup generator was in place, but water from the sprinkler system shorted the generator out. During the event, at least 950 guests had to be relocated off property. As more guests arrived during the extended power outage, the number rose to about 1,500.
Another casino that was equipped with a standby power generation system was able to supply power to 200 customers, including a police station when utility power failed for ninety minutes. Some slot machines were not powered but some non-essential lighting was secured. No guests had to be relocated, and operation continued normally.This illustrates the importance of having a properly installed and serviced emergency power generation system and the critical role generators play.
When upgrading or designing a backup power system for a casino or other similar facility, a low hour pre-owned generator can provide the answer. contact Generator Source today and we can help with design and equipment selection.
Story Summary
Where does Las Vegas get its electricity?
Las Vegas receives power from multiple sources, including:
- The national electrical grid, supplied by over 6,000 power generation plants
- NV Energy, the main electricity provider for Las Vegas
- Solar projects like Boulder Solar 1, which powers city buildings and streetlights
- The Hoover Dam, though most of its production goes to other states
What types of power plants supply Las Vegas?
Las Vegas is powered by plants using various energy sources, including:
- Coal
- Natural gas
- Solar
- Hydroelectric (from dams)
How much power does Las Vegas use?
Las Vegas is a major power consumer. According to 2017 figures from NV Energy:
- The southern Nevada sector had a peak load of 5,929 megawatts
- The company served 1.2 million customers in a 4,000+ square mile territory
Are there any off-grid power sources in Las Vegas?
Yes, the city center hotel and casino complex has its own off-grid power plant due to its large size.
Why are backup generators important for Las Vegas casinos?
Backup generators provide critical redundancy for casinos because:
- Power outages can cause major financial losses for casinos
- They help maintain safety systems and lighting
- They allow operations to continue normally during outages
What happened during the 2017 Rio casino power outage?
In December 2017:
- A fire knocked out power to the 2,500-room Rio casino
- The backup generator shorted out due to sprinkler water
- About 1,500 guests had to be relocated off-property
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| 4/30/2018 11:05:51 AM
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