This year, power plant operator and co-owner NRG Energy Inc. announced plans to shut down part of the Ivanpah plant, just over 11 years after it began operations.
Originally, the utility was contracted to purchase power from two units through 2039. However, following a 2021 directive from the California Public Utilities Commission to review energy sources, the utility identified the Ivanpah agreements as a chance to reduce costs, leading plant owners to offer early termination.