California Keeps Solar Plant Open Despite Bird Deaths

California is forcing a controversial solar power plant to stay open for 13 more years, even though it kills 6,000 birds annually and costs more than newer alternatives.

The Ivanpah Solar Plant in the Mojave Desert was supposed to close this year. Its owners (including Google and NRG Energy) and customer Pacific Gas & Electric had already agreed to end their contract early.

But the California Public Utilities Commission unanimously blocked the shutdown in December. Their reason highlights a challenge few saw coming: artificial intelligence is consuming so much electricity that California can't afford to lose any clean power sources.

When Ivanpah opened in 2014, it was the largest solar thermal plant on Earth. Its 170,000 mirrors concentrate sunlight onto massive towers, creating heat that spins turbines to generate electricity.

The technology quickly became outdated. Flat solar panels proved cheaper and more efficient, becoming the industry standard instead.

Ivanpah has struggled with serious problems since day one. It has no battery storage, so it only produces power when the sun shines. It burns natural gas each morning to fire up its boilers. Birds flying through its concentrated sunlight beams are instantly incinerated, leaving wisps of smoke in the desert sky.

Despite these issues, state regulators decided California needs every megawatt it can get. Data centers, AI expansion, electric vehicles, and building electrification are creating unprecedented electricity demand.

The decision frustrated both the Biden and Trump energy departments, which rarely agree on anything. Both administrations wanted Ivanpah closed to save taxpayers money on the facility's remaining $780 million federal loan.

PG&E argued ratepayers would save money by closing the plant. Independent reviews generally supported that conclusion.

Why This Inspires

California's choice reveals an unexpected silver lining in the renewable energy story. Even a flawed clean energy facility that was supposed to become obsolete is now considered too valuable to lose.

The state has committed to 100% clean electricity by 2045. Meeting that goal while powering the AI revolution means keeping every renewable source online, even imperfect ones.

Stanford energy scholar Dan Reicher called it "a wise move" given massive electricity demand and grid reliability concerns. The decision shows how quickly the energy landscape is changing.

Ivanpah's two main units will now provide 386 megawatts of carbon-free power through 2039, helping California meet its climate goals while supporting technological innovation that could transform daily life.

Sometimes progress means making the best use of what we already have while building something better.