Planning commission approves Sunseeker Solar special use permit for 250 MW photovoltaic project and 200 MW battery system in Honey Lake Valley

The Washoe County Planning Commission on May 6 approved special use permit WSUP25‑0006 for Sunseeker Solar to construct a photovoltaic generation facility with up to 250 megawatts of capacity, a 200 megawatt battery energy storage system (BESS), and an on‑site 345 kV substation on roughly 1,128 acres in the Honey Lake Valley north of Fish Springs Road.

Senior planner Courtney Wyke described the project as sited on 23 undeveloped parcels with a regulatory zone of general rural and a master plan designation of rural. The applicant requested approval for: the photovoltaic generation facility (up to 250 MW), a 200 MW BESS located within a roughly 10‑acre substation area (the BESS footprint was described as approximately 6 acres), construction of a 345 kV substation to connect to a previously approved 345 kV tie line (permitted previously as WSUP23‑0003), major grading for up to 1,108 acres of disturbance, and variances to standard parking and landscaping requirements. Wyke noted an error in the staff report correcting that there is no request to vary the height standard.

Wyke said staff circulated the application to 22 agencies and county departments; staff received clarifying phone calls and emails, two public comments in support, and no formal opposition. Notices for the neighborhood meeting and the hearing were sent to property owners; a neighborhood meeting held Jan. 20 drew four attendees. Staff concluded the proposal meets criteria for a project of regional significance because it would generate more than 5 MW and create a new substation; as such, any approval would require subsequent action by regional planning authorities and must be sponsored by the Board of County Commissioners to amend the regional utility corridor map of the 2019 Truckee Meadows Regional Plan.

The applicant's representative, Brent Moore of Ultra Air Group (representing Shreem Brzee Solar LLC / Sunseeker Solar), answered commissioners' questions on reliability and scheduling. Moore said the project and its 200 MW BESS would improve local reliability by enabling energy dispatch during peak loads and that interconnection and grid upgrades identified in NV Energy interconnection studies would be necessary. Moore and other speakers discussed interconnection sequencing and that interconnection agreements and potential grid upgrades could affect schedule; the applicant proposed a four‑year period to pull building permits and estimated on‑site construction would be completed in early 2027 in the application schedule, but both staff and the applicant acknowledged long lead times for electrical equipment could affect that timeline.

Commissioners asked about proximity to tribal lands; staff and the applicant indicated the nearest Paiute tribal lands are approximately 14 miles from the site. Commissioners also discussed equipment lead times, the possibility of needing a height waiver for utility poles or substation bus work, and whether multiple nearby projects would coordinate interconnections and shared infrastructure at the Fort Sage substation. The applicant said coordination among adjacent projects and shared use of substation facilities is being considered to reduce duplication of infrastructure.

Staff recommended approval with conditions, including waivers of parking‑lot construction standards and of landscaping standards applicable to industrial uses when the site is more than 1 mile from residences; staff incorporated conditions addressing grading, drainage, setbacks, and compliance with county code. Commissioner Lazarecki moved to approve WSUP25‑0006 for (applicant listed in the record as) Altria Group LLC on behalf of Shreem Brzee Solar LLC (the record also includes clarifications to applicant naming and to UELITA/UES references); the motion included variances to parking and landscaping standards as described in the staff report. The motion carried; the commission approved the special use permit with the conditions in Exhibit A, and the decision will not take effect until required regional planning authority and federal/state approvals and any required regional plan amendments are completed.